With all the threats of violence, theres alow number of tourists, so oddly you can really have anauthentic experiencehere while getting to know Honduran women, too. We strive to provide the most relevant travel information on the web and always appreciate input from our readers (nicely, please!). We hope these measures work and remain in place.. Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. LGBTpeople in Honduras are frequently the targets of violence and discrimination, according to Human Rights Watch research. So whilst its gettingsafer, its a slow process. It may have improved it actually. Honduras isnt perfectly safe for tourists, but that doesnt mean that you can travel there or have a good time. Iris Argentina lvarez of the Cerro Escondido peasant cooperative, which has been working to recover land currently owned by a sugar company, was killed and three people were injured during a violent and allegedly illegal eviction in Choluteca in April 2020. A law prohibiting same-sex couples from adopting childrentook effect in 2019. Most who can access the internet do so on their phones. Activist groups, like the Grupo Prisma, have formed that educate and inform the general public as well as fight the current rules against homosexual relationships. It wont be down to the wire cutting edge info on the most current events, but it is layered in the expertise of veteran travellers. Over60% of the populationlive below the poverty line. As VP Kamala Harris prepares to visit #Honduras for the presidential inauguration, we call for international cooperation and funding to respond to the humanitarian crisis displacing thousands in the country. FILE PHOTO: A member of Honduras' DIPAMPCO (Police Anti Maras and Gangs Against Organised Crime Directorate) stands guard as other DIPAMPCO members frisk people while doing rounds in a low-income neighbourhood, after President Xiomara Castro declared a national security emergency implementing a new plan to combat a rising number of cases of extortion by violent criminal groups operating across the country, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras November 26, 2022. Honduras is one of the murder capitals of the world. And Hondurascan be a safe place for solo female travelers, but wed only recommend it after some solo travel experience. Honduras may sound scary, but if you take into account the advice of locals, plan ahead, and use your common sense,Honduras will open up to you as a solo female traveler. In June, the OHCHR and IACHR jointly expressed concern that the new penal code disproportionately restricts freedoms of speech, press, and association and fails to criminalize torture committed by third parties acting on behalf of state agents. Plus theres Copan: the ancientMayanarchaeological site, complete with amazing sculptures. A study published in April reported that nearly half of teachers in rural areas had not been able to contact the majority of their students. They face violence from gangs, the national civil police and the military police, members of the public, and their own families, as well as extortion by gangs and discrimination in schools and in the workplace. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Domestic and sexual violence are also widespread, with women and children bearing the brunt. There is an expat community inTrujillo. Namely, being robbed. Almost 110,000 Hondurans were returned in 2019, mostly from Mexico. Newton County Sheriff's Office was involved with . That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we dont believe are up to scratch. HOUSTON Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Houston, with assistance from ERO Tegucigalpa and the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force, removed Rufino Garza Monroy, a twice-deported foreign fugitive from the United States on Feb. 24. The state of emergency, in place since Dec. 6 in 165 areas of Honduras' largest two cities, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, has been expanded to 235 of the country's 298 municipalities, the national police said. The government relies heavily on the military for public security. On average, children living in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador are 10 times more likely to be killed than a child who lives in the United States. You can definitely push your luck by staying in the wrong neighborhood as well. Extortions generate annual profits of up to $737 million for gangs, nearly 3% of the country's gross domestic product, according to data from Association for a More Just Society, a security-focused non-governmental organization. The first 2,000 inmates were transferred to El Salvador's new mega-prison for hardcore gangbangers. FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. Share this via Twitter We provide cash to help people meet basic needs. Sign up for our newsletter and get the best travel tips delivered right to your inbox. Since June, 2021 the United States has shared 6,088,590 safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses with the people of Honduras - free of cost. Get your accommodation to either recommenda good company or just book one for you. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) One day after six Honduran environmental activists were convicted for alleged actions against a mining operation, the Supreme Court's Constitutional Chamber unanimously sided with the defendants on two long-standing appeals and threw out their case late Thursday. The IRC is calling for stronger international cooperation to address the humanitarian crisis that displaces hundreds of thousands from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala every year. Living in Honduras means youll have to adjust your life to the way of life here. The number one network in cable, FNC has been the most-watched television news channel for 18 consecutive years. The Supreme Court had upheld Romeros 10-year sentencein January 2020. Officials flew Garza, a 48-year-old . Shootings are very common in poorer areas too. But this article is written for savvy travellers from the perspective of savvy travellers. As expected, the video went viral and the local newspapers made sure they put this trusted news source on their front page. The vaccine doses arrived in the Honduran capital on October 4 2021. Investigations were underway at time of writing. So no. Click here to read the full story: 6 gang members killed in Honduras prison. We are going to be covering a whole lot of topics in this epic Honduras safety guide. The media and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) reported several cases of abusive police enforcement of the Covid-19 lockdown. When the time came, the police departed in caravans to gang-infested neighbourhoods throughout the capital city, as part of an effort to combat an apparent rise in extortion. We are all about smart travel and were here to help you travel smart too. Traveling here is definitely adventurous, but that doesnt mean its off-limits for solo travelers. February 18 2022 Receive free Honduras updates We'll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Honduras news every morning. Journalists, environmental activists, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT). I consent to my personal information being processed in accordance with The Broke Backpackers. Yery Noel Medina Ulloa of Honduras pleaded guilty . Radio taxisare always a better option than hailing one off the street. While homicide rates have dropped in recent years, Honduras is still the most dangerous country in the region, with 38 homicides per 100,000 people. Efforts to reform public-security institutions have stalled. Of the 6,088,590 vaccine doses, 100% were donated in partnership with COVAX. We travel with a filter bottle, the GRAYL GEOPRESS or we just boil the water for a few minutes and store in a refillable water bottle. Women in Guatemala: The New Faces of Extortion? How to tackle it is another issue. Bukeles example resonates in societies with a fragile institutional framework and with a tendency towards populism and authoritarianism, said Ismael Moreno, a human rights defender. So keep that in mind and have a read of our safety tips for solo female travelers thinking of taking a trip to Honduras. Anyone else would do well with a trusted tour group. This helps keep everyone in poverty. We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. This perception has grown despite a slight reduction in homicides this year, according to preliminary data, and a significant drop over the past decade since Honduras held the ignominious title of the worlds most violent country. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. This is an issue that has not been taken seriously by the Honduran state.. Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). In the streets where insecurity lurks around each corner, many ordinary Hondurans want to see extreme measures human rights be damned and believe that anything short of that is not enough. The likelihood of you getting caught up in all that relies very much on you being somehow related to one of the gangs. Extortion in Latin America continues to bring in fortunes for criminal gangs. His unit was headed to the Hole a labyrinthine neighbourhood of narrow streets, whose nickname was originally coined because of its location between sharp hillsides, but which has taken on a new meaning as a place where gang members disappear. So when it comes to safetyin Honduras, we think youllgenerallybe fine, especially in the Bay Islands. But travelers DO take these buses. The rate of young people killing other young people is down to twomain gangs:Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) andBarrio 18. Historically, governments have responded with iron-fist security strategies to combat organized crime, enacting tougher legislation and increasing police presence and mass detentions. A . Its a mix of European, indigenous and Caribbean influence, and youll love it. But traveling there is possible, of course. President Xiomara Castro, center, with the minister of defense, Jose Manuel Zelaya, and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Jos Jorge Fortn, at a military ceremony in Tegucigalpa on 9 December. There are many daily newspapers in Honduras where that constantly provide the latest updated news and information. Im nervous, repeated a young police officer driving a pickup truck crowded with heavily armed special forces officers. Were not going to say its thesafest place to travel,nor is it going to be the easiestplace to travel as a solo female. At nighttime, you should really get a taxi. According to Hugo Maldonado, president of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in Honduras, this year has seen 116 femicides and 23 group murders, along with more than 1,356 violent. It may not exactly be classed as safe, but Honduras shouldnt be ignored. Transgender woman activist killed in Honduras They forcibly recruit children and sexually abuse women, girls, and LGBT people. Radio Globo directorDavid Romero, convicted of defamation in 2016, died in prison from Covid-19 in July. Locals have to pay war taxes which keeps the poverty rate high as well. The U.S. government estimates that approximately 4% of all cocaine shipments from South America passed through Honduras by air or sea in 2019 of cocaine, equivalent to a U.S. street value of over $11.5 billion at current rates. We provide specialized support for survivors of gender-based violence; create safe spaces for women, youth and the LGBTQ+ community; and also offer psychosocial counseling and social work support. It was Zelaya's intention to seek a second term that coup leaders. Its not very safe to drive in Honduras. Get fresh updates on organized crime from across the region delivered to your inbox. In October, the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), of which Cceres was president, complained of continued delays and a lack of transparency in the case. It has experienced one of the world's highest homicide rates, with multiple forms of violence linked to drug trafficking groups. Country Summary: Violent crime, such as homicide and armed robbery, is common. But its pretty damn special too. For your trip to Honduras, our handy guide has you covered. But you wont be (in a Honduran gang, that is). Please support our mission investigating organized crime. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. The Bay Islands are the only palace in Honduras that can (kind of) be considered somewhat safe. Schools were closed from March onward due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We do our best to advise but this info may already be out of date. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Honduras deploys soldiers on anti-crime patrols - 1 hr 50 mins ago TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras - The Honduran government has deployed soldiers to perform anti-crime patrols in some of the Central American country's most violent cities, following the massacre of 18 people in a shoe factory this week. Here are three reasons the International Rescue Committees Emergency Watchlist ranks Honduras among 20 countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crisis in 2022. But before arriving, the car stopped and the caravan split. Honduras Private Sector and Anti-Extortion Police: An Unholy Alliance? These. We also provide critical, up-to-date information and support from trained moderators through CuntaNos, a digital platform that is part of the Global Signpost project. With all of its branches of government and its armed forces plagued by corruption, Honduras has evolved into a transit nation in which criminal groups, protected by the political system, have developed the capacity to produce cocaine hydrochloride in local laboratories. The food in Honduras is super tasty. The question of Is Honduras Safe? will ALWAYS have a different answer depending on the parties involved. (Reporting by Orfa Mejia in Tegucigalpa; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Leslie Adler). Wed,03/01/23-8:26AM, 3 Reads. Individuals and state agents continute to threaten and attack journalists, press freedom groups report. During the first month of the measures, 39 criminal gangs were destroyed and 652 people were arrested, while 43 kilos of cocaine and thousands of grams and rocks of crack were seized, the police said. But Honduras is far from Eden. FromLimonestoLa Union, fromGualacotoSan Esteban,and fromLa EsperanzatoGraciasThese routes can bedangerous. Roatan is the more developed, more expensive, and family friendly big brother of Utila. Youll need to be a confident traveler. Alongside her husband, Sasha, she co-founded the. Theyve been doing it since 2002 protecting, connecting, and inspiring independent travellers just like you. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. Between 2005 and 2019, 34 percent of women who were 20-24 years old had married when they were 15-19, the UN Population Fund reported in 2020. In Honduras, the types of danger include, but are not limited to, violent gang activity, trafficking, rape, street crime and armed robbery. Since 2017, the government has operated centers to support returned migrants. Not only that, but thecorruptionin everything the low to the high levels of the politics here is standard. Members of the military police of public order patrol a street during a special operation against criminal gangs in Tegucigalpa on 6 December. As dusk fell, a helicopter hovered menacingly over a dusty football field where several hundred police officers stood in formation, waiting for the clock to strike six and the imposition of a state of exception partially suspending constitutional guarantees in Honduras. In 2018, the government created a special force to fight gangs (Fuerza Nacional Anti Maras y pandillas). Locals drive atcrazy speeds on the highways, there are random toll roads that make the cost high (but if you dont take them, alternative routes are often not paved), and there are animals on the road. Often, people with disabilities are threatened and subjected to extortion by criminal gangs. City busestravel around the cities and towns themselves. Support focuses primarily on reintegration into the labor market, rather than assistance for people who fled seeking international protection. The government neither comprehensively protects the rights of children, including adolescents, nor ensures that they have access to basic services such as education and healthcare, the IACHR reported in 2019. Utila is unlike the rest of mainland Honduras in just about every way. Meanwhile, as Guatemalas electoral season heats up ahead of next years presidential election, some candidates have signaled that if elected, they would also implement hardline policies. It is important to know that Utila is very much a developed backpacker hotspot. It suspends some Constitutional rights and gives police more powers to arrest and hold suspects. ; Children and Adolescents - Honduras has the highest youth homicide rate in the world. TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - The Honduran government on Saturday extended a state of emergency declaration for 45 days, expanding it to additional areas of the country in an effort to fight criminal. Violence against LGBT individuals forces many to leave their homes, fleeing internally or leaving the country to seek asylum. By 2020 they want an additional milliontourists annually. In February 2020, it called on El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico to protect the rights of migrants and refugees to leave their country of origin, noting that asylum applications from Central America and Mexico grew 50-fold from 2012 to 2018. Well Public transportation can be alittle trickyin Honduras, and its not always safe. 2023, The Broke Backpacker. And Honduras has been struggling to build representative democracy, to fight corruption and crime. Note that they are generally safe to visit during the day (with a bit of caution obviously), especially if you have a local guide, but should be fully avoided at night. Garza is wanted in Honduras for homicide. The men remained missing at time of writing. This should not distract, however, from the fact that there are life-threatening problems that residents of Honduras struggle with daily. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy. How Gangs Control Honduras - YouTube 0:00 / 11:46 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users. While Honduras is not seeing the political armed conflict common in most Watchlist countries this year, criminal gang violence is widespread. We are going to eradicate extortion in every corner of our country.. However, if you decide to travel independently, youll face quite a few challenges. A large chunk of thosearrived via cruise ships, however. Trump, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, announced a slate of futuristic new policies in a campaign video Friday. Womenand girls who terminate pregnancies face prison sentences of up to six years. You can too. Wed classify it as generally hazardous. There's no avoiding violence in Honduras, even at home. There are private coach servicesthat connect cities and towns that are usually moremaintained and more comfortable than the chicken buses. Corruption, crime, and gang activity inhibits the ability to conduct business activities freely and dissuades entrepreneurs from establishing new businesses. Testimony provided by drug traffickers and Honduran politicians on trial in the United States have revealed the deep-seated connection between organized crime and the governing National Party. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Honduras is one of the most important drug trafficking operation centers between South America and Mexico. But the thing iswomen DO travel alone to Honduras. In April, the office expressed concern regarding accusations of excesive use of force by state security agents enforcing the governments Covid-19 restrictions. You can also visit the island through a guided tour, which will add another layer of safety to your trip. We can't put up any longer with workers being killed and paying extortion, Lanza said. The US is losing allies in Latin America just as production of cocaine, fentanyl, and other synthetic drugs is going through the roof. In September, two men shot and killed journalist Luis Alonzo Almendares in Comayagua. Honduras recorded 3,496 murders in 2020. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File Photo. Journalists, environmental activists,lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals,and people with disabilities are among the groups targeted forviolence. October 4, 2021 The U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras is pleased to announce a donation from the government of the United States of 250,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to the people of Honduras. Suddenly you find yourself surrounded by backpackers, dive shops, hostels, burger shacks, smoothie stands, and pirate bars. Theres a lot of fresh fish in places like, Steer clear of anything that you cant peel yourself. However, More than2 million touristsvisited in 2017. Late Thursday, Nov. 24, Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional rights so as to round up gang members. Honduras major drug trafficking groups like the Cachiros and the Valles have largely been dismantled with the arrest and extradition of top leaders, but vestiges of these clans continue to operate. Visiting Honduras right now is as safe as it ever was:not very. Its just that easy. A study by the National Violence Observatory of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) placed the country as the most violent territory in Central America, with a homicide rate of 38.5 per 100,000 inhabitants. The UNspecialrapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders called Honduras one of the most dangerous countries for human rights defenders in Latin America. FILE PHOTO: Police raid a house after Honduras' President Xiomara Castro (not pictured) mobilised . In Honduras, steps were taken to demilitarize public security forces and a community policing model was announced, with the hope being that the measures would increase public trust in an institution that has historically been dogged by corruption and infiltrated by the very same organized crime groups it is supposed to combat. In 2013, Honduras reformed the penal code to recognize femicide as a crime. Those who work in the transportation sector (taxi and bus drivers) are notable targets of gangs, but many are unable to flee for fear of retaliatory violence against themselves and their . Heres how to not get ill whilst trying local delights. Dont hitchhike ortake lifts from strangers , Other ways to meet fellow travelers and. This is apretty safe area to visit. The inauguration of Xiomara Castro, elected Hondurass first female president, is scheduled for January 27 with U.S. vice president Kamala Harris, King Felipe VI of Spain and other world leaders slated to attend. Honduras is one of the Western Hemisphere's deadliest countries for journalists, with security forces representing their biggest threat, Reporters Without Borders noted in 2021. CNN Juan Orlando Hernndez, the former president of Honduras, appeared virtually for his initial US court appearance Friday on federal drug trafficking and firearms possession charges.. Police reforms are most successful when theyre coupled with investments in social services and cross-cutting investments to address some of the root causes like poverty and exclusion that can cause crime in the first place, said Mary Malone, a professor at the University of New Hampshire who has studied policing in Central America. Honduras, in general, is open and welcoming to children. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. The measure must still be approved by Congress. The crime rates are improving and the government is putting a lot of effort into attracting more tourists. Police were allegedly in the area when private security forces opened fired against several families but did not help the victims, witnesses told the press. The data was compiled by Citizen Council for Public Security, Justice, and Peace, a Mexican. It can get SUPER hot in Honduras. As of August, prisons had reported 1,700 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 38 deaths. Following domestic and international criticism, the government backtracked and a week later re-established constitutional free speech guarantees. Its just better to have a local driver drive you around. Weve made it pretty clear that Honduras isnt the safest country. TEGUCIGALPA, Jan 7 (Reuters) - The Honduran government on Saturday extended a state of emergency declaration for 45 days, expanding it to additional areas of the country in an effort to fight. The new criminal code that came into effect in June 2020 includes new alternative sanctions to detention for some minor crimes that could help reduce the prison population. Chances are it wasnt cooked with too much care. Sexual violence and oppression are frequent tragedies here. If you use our guide, do your own research, and practise common sense, you will have a safe trip to Honduras. Theres a lot to learn about Honduras that goes beyond gangs and beaches. But nongovernmental organizations have tallied several thousand human rights violations and at least 80 in-custody deaths of people arrested during the state of exception. People live here with children, by themselves, as couples, some retire here, and some people have even started up their own hostelsor otherbusinesses. People here live in pretty supreme poverty 60%of the population living in poverty really isa lot of people. In 2018, the last year for which statistics are available, 60 percent of perpetrators were domestic partners. If we didnt have Bukeles example, we could probably look for some control and security responses based on strengthening institutions.. Sign in How Gangs Control Honduras VICE News 8.42M subscribers. To make sure youre having a successful trip, weve listed the safest, and the no-go areas below. The Inescapable Prison of Barrio 18 in Honduras, Death, Taxes, and Extortion: Why Latin American Companies Keep Paying Up, Timber Mafias - Preying on Latin Americas Forests, State and Community Responses to Extortion, A Mayor and a Wave of Narco Violence on Guatemala's Pacific, One Party, Many Crimes: The Case of Honduras National Party, Drug Trafficking and Political Protection in Paraguay: The Case of Cucho Cabaa, How Colombia Regulators Became Purveyors of Illegal Wood, The Logging Barons of Catacamas, Honduras, How Drug Cartels Moved into Illegal Logging in Mexico, Municipalities Fight Back in Guatemalas Gang-Preyed Upon Neighborhoods, How the Private Sector Helped Counter Rural Extortion in El Salvador. Here is available the most popular Honduras Newspapers list.
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