Public buildings, transportation, and information and communication services open to the public are not fully accessible to people with disabilities. That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If a restaurant or eatery of any sort looks busy, thats probably because its good, both in terms of taste and. It may have improved it actually. Just 18 percent of Hondurans have internet access in their homes and a quarter of homes in rural areas dont have electricity. Transgender woman activist killed in Honduras Patrick said the inmates were captured about 7:45 AM in downtown Newton. InSight Crime's 2022 Homicide Round-Up covers more countries than ever before, with a major expansion into nations of the Caribbean. The MS13 and Barrio 18 street gangs control urban neighborhoods in the countrys two major cities Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula and rural towns close to the border with El Salvador. Corruption, fear of retribution, and limited access to essential health services . There is an expat community inTrujillo. Inside Honduras' most dangerous gangs 127,396 views Mar 8, 2020 1.2K Dislike Share Save Sky News 5.19M subscribers Warning: this report contains blurred images of dead bodies which some viewers. I wouldnt dare to say that [extortion] has skyrocketed because it has been so high for many years, said Leticia Salomn, a sociologist and researcher with the Documentation Center of Honduras. Gender-based violence in Honduras is also among the highest in the region and has increased during the pandemic. Our work is costly and high risk. More information. The mission in early December was ostensibly to raid a casa loca, an abandoned home used by gang members. Along with Honduras, the IRC also identified Haiti and Venezuela as the countries most at risk of experiencing deteriorating humanitarian crises in 2022 in Latin America and the Caribbean. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. So how do they do it?. 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. Since 2020, the number of Hondurans in need of humanitarian assistance has more than doubled, while food insecurity has increased due to consecutive climate shocks, rising food prices and the economic impacts of COVID-19. There are alsopassenger ferriesif you want to go totheBay Islands. Theyre fairly easy to use, but be aware of the risks. Simple as that. Allegations that senior politicians had been benefiting financially from the drug trade contributed to the unrest. Dont put yourself through that stress. You should ask locals on the best routes to take to any given place. In November 2020, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights heard the case of Vicky Hernndez, a trans woman allegedly extrajudicially executed in 2009. The vaccine doses arrived in the Honduran capital on October 4 2021. In fact, according toInSight Crime there has definitely been around a 26% drop in crime since 2016. Share this via Reddit Is Honduras safe for solo female travelers? Prisons saw significant Covid-19 outbreaks. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. Its a mix of European, indigenous and Caribbean influence, and youll love it. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2017 was 40.98, a 26.23% decline from 2016. Gang wars and fights with the police are common in this city. Garza is wanted in Honduras for homicide. The Newton Police Department has arrested three escaped inmates from Scott County, according to Newton police chief, Randy Patrick. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2020 was 36.33, a 13.52% decline from 2019. You can catch a ferry from the mainland atLa Ceibato eitherUtilaorRoatan. 2023, The Broke Backpacker. Honduras Honduras declares war against gangs - and for control of popular narrative Xiomara Castro's crackdown on gangs is also an attempt to counter allegations the government hasn't done. Corruption, poor governance, and. Many people do travel to this particular part of Honduras,even with their families. (Reporting by Orfa Mejia in Tegucigalpa; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Leslie Adler). Juan Orlando Hernndez extolled his achievements as. If you are a keen diver, Roatan is well worth a visit. Nearly 3.3 million people, or one in three Hondurans, were experiencing crisis or worse levels of food insecurity by late 2021. Roatan is the largest of the Honduras Bay Islands. And this area is great for children. Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking, is widespread. So keep that in mind and have a read of our safety tips for solo female travelers thinking of taking a trip to Honduras. Violence against LGBT individuals forces many to leave their homes, fleeing internally or leaving the country to seek asylum. Reconsider travel to Honduras due to crime. The Supreme Court, particularly its president, exerts excessive control over the appointment and removal of judges, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reported in 2019, and career instability limits judges independence. Donate now to support the IRC's life-changing work in Honduras, across northern Central America, and worldwide. For example, theBay Islandsaresaferthan the mainland. But its pretty damn special too. 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. FILE - Honduras' President Xiomara Castro addresses the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, Sept. 20, 2022. El Salvador and Honduras have been condemned by the "civilized" world. See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution and Travel Advisories. An illegal immigrant from Honduras was sentenced to 60 years in prison Friday for the killing of a Florida man in Jacksonville in 2021, prosecutors said. 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 gangs amid high levels of violence. Patrick said the inmates were captured about 7:45 AM in downtown Newton. Half of underage pregnancies result from rape. Violence has long ruled here. 20 Top Safety Tips for Traveling to Honduras. They practice "war taxing", which is essentially just demanding money from people. Naturally, youre going to be wondering, Is Honduras safe? That is why we have created this insiders guide looking at the safety of travelers in Honduras. But if you meet the local ladies andlearn about their livesyoure going to have a VERY enriching experience on your hands. But the removal of military officers from an anti-gang taskforce resulted in a messy divorce that temporarily reduced the units already limited capacity opening a window for criminals and before the community policing model could have any effect, the political pressure to take decisive action against extortion boiled over. Suddenly you find yourself surrounded by backpackers, dive shops, hostels, burger shacks, smoothie stands, and pirate bars. Here, you will find safety knowledge and advice for travelling Honduras. There is only anecdotal evidence of the scale of the problem because so few extortion victims report the crime, making a statistical analysis impossible. Yery Noel Medina Ulloa of Honduras pleaded guilty . To Desafio, the Barrio 18 gang in Honduras was everything. However, if you decide to travel independently, youll face quite a few challenges. Dont open the door for anyone, unless youre expecting a visit. Well be answering super important questions including How safe is Honduras right now? and Is it safe to live in Honduras? We also give loads of tips for solo travelers and families. As of September 2020, the US had yet to begin deporting any third country nationals to Honduras under the agreement. Chances are, if you are arriving via a cruise ship, you will be safe. Radio taxisare always a better option than hailing one off the street. In addition, gang recruitment of minors has contributed to the increasing numbers of families and unaccompanied children leaving Honduras for Mexico, some planning to travel onward to the U.S.. 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. 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 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. Click here to read the full story: 6 gang members killed in Honduras prison. Gangs exercise territorial control over neighborhoods and extort residents throughout the country. Late Thursday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional You will have to agree on a pricebefore you get in. This helps keep everyone in poverty. The violence is carried out by local drug trafficking groups, gangs, corrupt security forces and transnational criminal organizations mainly from Mexico and Colombia. San Pedro Sula (Spanish pronunciation: [sam pedo sula]) is the capital of Corts Department, Honduras.It is located in the northwest corner of the country in the Sula Valley, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Puerto Corts on the Caribbean Sea.With a population of 671,460 in the central urban area (2020 calculation) and a population of 1,445,598 in its metropolitan area in 2020 . 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. How Gangs Control Honduras - YouTube 0:00 / 11:46 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users. That means suncream, sun-hats, and limiting time in the sun. A Honduran woman and her children manage to cross the remnants of a bridge destroyed by Hurricane Iota. This social democratic government is declaring war on extorsion, just as it has, since the first day, declared wars on corruption, impunity and drug trafficking," Castro said. The rate of young people killing other young people is down to two main gangs : Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18. The inmates, all from Honduras, had reportedly escaped custody yesterday in Scott County. The crime rates are improving and the government is putting a lot of effort into attracting more tourists. By BRENT MAZE. 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. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. Honduras has the misfortune of being situated between South American cocaine production and U.S. drug consumption. Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. FromLimonestoLa Union, fromGualacotoSan Esteban,and fromLa EsperanzatoGraciasThese routes can bedangerous. In Honduras, the types of danger include, but are not limited to, violent gang activity, trafficking, rape, street crime and armed robbery. 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. It submitted the case to the court in April 2019 due to Honduras lack of compliance with its recommendations, such as introducing comprehensive policies to map and prevent anti-LGBT violence and designing training programs on anti-LGBT violence for state security bodies. The information present in this safety guide was accurate at the time of writing, however, the world is a changeable place, now more than ever. A woman is killed every 23 hours on average, the National Autonomous University of Honduras Violence Observatory reports. Feb. 21, 2023, at 6:11 p.m. Honduras Extends, Expands State of Emergency for Second Time. And taxi driversprobably wont have enough change to cover a big bill, socarry small denominations. They are taxed by gangs. 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. (KCAU) The Stanton County Sheriff's Office said that they've cited two men who allegedly killed an American Bald Eagle. All of these are in Santa Barbara Department, which also sees hijackings aroundTela, La Ceiba, andEl Progresoas well asTrujillo. This is an issue that has not been taken seriously by the Honduran state.. An audit of government purchases of medical supplies to fight Covid-19 revealed supplies worth tens of millions of dollars had gone missing. Its dangerous there.. Since the end of the last decade, political protection has allowed the traditional drug trafficking groups to flourish. 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.. When more cameras arrived, men were forced to take off their shirts so the police could inspect them for gang tattoos in front of the bright lights. It also documented widespread mistreatment of people detained and arrested during the protests. Theres more nature here than you can shake a stick at. In January 2020, the government shut down the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH). Honduras may have one of the highest murder rates in the world, and as a solo female traveler, that doesnt sound very inviting as a destination. There are quite a few cute Airbnbs in Honduras, and as long as you stay in one of the safer neighborhoods, wed say that renting an Airbnb is perfectly safe. Theyve been doing it since 2002 protecting, connecting, and inspiring independent travellers just like you. Planning a safe trip to Honduras can get quite overwhelming. Abortionisillegalin Honduras in all circumstances. The country has the second-highest rate of femicidedefined as the killing of a woman by a man because of her genderin Latin America, the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean reports. Traveling around the country is a more complicated matter. The government of Honduras is committed to attracting more tourists. 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. Police chief Gustavo Sanchez said the decision, based on what he told journalists were good results during December, will allow continued reductions in crime and violence. Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency against gang crimes like extortion. So, yeah. But traveling there is possible, of course. Well Public transportation can be alittle trickyin Honduras, and its not always safe. Officials were called out to the main Wood Duck Recreation Area at around 4 p.m. on Tuesday to investigate a suspicious vehicle, a ccording to a release from the Sheriff's Office. In El Salvador, a Thin Line Between Community Policing and Vigilantism. As of August, prisons had reported 1,700 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 38 deaths. 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 . By 2020 they want an additional milliontourists annually. Most who can access the internet do so on their phones. The groups most likely to be internally displaced or leave the country are children subjected to forced gang recruitment, professionals and business owners who face extortion, domestic violence survivors, and LGBT people and members of ethnic minorities who face violence and discrimination. In these demonstrations, more than 1,500 were arrested and30 people were killed. Look and see where locals are eating. document.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This website uses cookies to improve your experience. They offer simple & flexible travel insurance, and safety advice to help you travel confidently. As world leaders met for the United Nations General Assembly, Latin American presidents expressed various concerns about organized crime. People live here with children, by themselves, as couples, some retire here, and some people have even started up their own hostelsor otherbusinesses. Schools were closed from March onward due to the Covid-19 pandemic. And when it comes to the extreme violence of Honduras, thosevery highfigures come from gang violence. https://t.co/xQGbbyZXXv. 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. There's no avoiding violence in Honduras, even at home. It has experienced one of the world's highest homicide rates, with multiple forms of violence linked to drug trafficking groups. Here are three reasons the International Rescue Committees Emergency Watchlist ranks Honduras among 20 countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crisis in 2022. Women - Honduras has the fifth-highest rate of violence against women in the world. The new code also includes alternatives to detention for low-level crimes, including partial prison sentences and penalties that allow for conditional release. Your little ones get to see the Mesoamerican Reef,thesecond largest barrier reef in the world. It is not just murder, it's also the shocking numbers of rape, assault, and domestic violence cases, happening with near-total impunity. Estimates of the number of active gang members range from 5,000 to 40,000.