Feb. 21, 2023, at 6:11 p.m. Honduras Extends, Expands State of Emergency for Second Time. Of course, while it's not ever good to generalize an. For now, there are 15,000 taxis who want your attention. 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 . Schools were closed from March onward due to the Covid-19 pandemic. San Pedro Sula, Honduras, has been given the unfortunate title of the most dangerous city in the world. Almost 110,000 Hondurans were returned in 2019, mostly from Mexico. In fact, most people in Honduras have a family member in a gang. Gang wars and fights with the police are common in this city. Honduras and theUS signed anasylum cooperative agreement in 2019, whereby Honduras agreed to receivenon-Honduran asylum-seekerstransferred by the US. Honduras, the narco-state that illustrates U.S. contradictions Enjoy your travels! The new criminal code decriminalized defamation, but retains other crimes of honorincluding insult and slanderwhich have been used to prosecute journalists in the past. We are going to be covering a whole lot of topics in this epic Honduras safety guide. More than half of detained men and two-thirds of detained women were in pretrial detention. The government has set up roadblocks, deployed security forces, and used violence to prevent people from leaving the country. Instead, buy an eSIM! Close, Is Honduras Safe for Travel? Whether thats with friends and family back home, or with accommodation staff, or both. In Honduras, the types of danger include, but are not limited to, violent gang activity, trafficking, rape, street crime and armed robbery. 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. Violence in Honduras | Association for a More Just Society Inside Honduras' most dangerous gangs - YouTube The criminal justice system regularly fails to hold those responsible for homicides to account. led to the detention of more than 2% of its adult population. 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. In these demonstrations, more than 1,500 were arrested and30 people were killed. Dangers of Travel to Honduras | USA Today In September, two men shot and killed journalist Luis Alonzo Almendares in Comayagua. This is apretty safe area to visit. Shootings are very common in poorer areas too. 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. Download Historical Data. There are probably more sketchy areas in Honduras than there are safe ones. Theyre old U.S. school buses that are poorly maintained,andovercrowded. The primary drivers of this violence are gangs like the Barrio 18 and MS13, which concentrate their criminal activities in urban areas and recruit young people, many of whom are suffering from widespread economic inequality and a lack of opportunity. Homicides in Honduras | Association for a More Just Society Honduras declares state of emergency against gang crime | AP News The inmates, all from Honduras, had reportedly escaped custody yesterday in . UNHCR; Posted 22 Dec 2022 Originally published 22 . But its pretty damn special too. Rising seas eat away at Honduran fishing village The rate of young people killing other young people is down to twomain gangs:Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) andBarrio 18. Youre connected. The inmates, all from Honduras, had reportedly escaped custody yesterday in Scott County. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Pastor Daniel Pacheco told Los Angeles Times reporter Kate Linthicum, "I can ask them to leave the gang, but I don't have anything else to offer them. Do your own research. Transgender woman activist killed in Honduras Jesse Watters: Buying mace in Manhattan is almost as hard as getting a gun And if youre visiting as part of a tour, then youre likely to stay safe. Absent students, murdered teachers: Gang violence permeates Honduras His security-at-all costs approach, and the reductions in violence and crime that have come with it, have found a captive audience in Honduras, but caused consternation among civil society, and closed down discussion of other options. 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 extends, expands state of emergency meant to fight crime Established in 2016 by the government and the Organization of American States (OAS), theMACCIHcontributed to the prosecution of 133 people, including congresspeople and senior officials, 14 of whom faced criminal trials. Honduras Crime Rate & Statistics 1990-2023 | MacroTrends Category 5 hurricanes Eta and Iota hit Honduras in November 2020 and have had enduring impacts on farmersand the public generallyby destroying subsistence farms, killing livestock by the hundreds of thousands and reducing agricultural production. How to tackle it is another issue. There are private coach servicesthat connect cities and towns that are usually moremaintained and more comfortable than the chicken buses. All rights reserved. Honduras, in general, is open and welcoming to children. Is your phone eSIM ready? 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. Classes were broadcast on television, radio, and online, in some cases with assignments sent via Whatsapp. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Newton County Sheriff's Office was involved with . Women in Guatemala: The New Faces of Extortion? People do it. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. The vaccine doses arrived in the Honduran capital on October 4 2021. At nighttime, you should really get a taxi. Share this via LinkedIn The Belize Under-19 Women's National Team (U-19 BWNT) is travelling to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on Friday, March 3 to compete in the 2023 Central American Football Union (UNCAF) FIFA Forward Under . Reconsider travel to Honduras due to crime. San Pedro Sula is the most dangerous city, not just in Honduras, but in the whole world. 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.. Late Thursday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional Impunity for human rights abuses, violent crime, and corruption remains the norm, even as the prison population has mushroomed. But it was not a tremor, nor a tsunami. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. Gang violence is widespread in and around urban areas. Indeed, Honduras is seeing a plague of femicidesa woman is murdered every 36 hours, mostly by an intimate partner. Chances are, if you are arriving via a cruise ship, you will be safe. Honduras declared a state of exception as extortion cases rise, suspending constitutional rights in cities and deploying thousands of troops. Please donate. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. Whilst many people DO live here, it doesnt mean Honduras is safe to live. And Honduras has been struggling to build representative democracy, to fight corruption and crime. The storms, among other shocks, led to higher levels of food scarcity while weakening the states capacity to cope with displacement. Simple as that. It was Zelaya's intention to seek a second term that coup leaders. Honduras is one of the murder capitals of the world. Migrant posing as minor who killed father of four that took him in gets In March 2020, the government declared a state of emergency in response to the pandemic, imposing a lockdown and restricting movement and freedom of expression. Nope. Tegucigalpa - AP NEWS Prolonged droughts have undermined food production, while in October 2021 a wildfire in the Guanaja region affected thousands. We dont want to recommend traveling to the rest of Honduras with your family. That said, the development that has taken place has not totally sucked the island dry of its charm. Home to the second biggest barrier reef in the world, beaches, and sparkling turquoise sea, as well as a whole host of Mayan ruins, amazing coffee, and the second largest rainforest in the Americas, Honduras is extremely biodiverse: there are 770 bird species alone. And watch out for bad road conditions after heavy rain. 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. With just 39% of the population fully vaccinated as of December 2021, the health risks associated with the pandemic will remain a concern long into 2022. There are definitely a fair few pros to solo travel. 18th Street gang - Wikipedia Everyone from children to adults are recruited. 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 presented a comprehensive plan to reform laws and ramp up institutional capacity measures that experts believe could have a positive effect long-term but which were pushed aside by the short-term political decision to declare a state of exception. If you use our guide, do your own research, and practise common sense, you will have a safe trip to Honduras. Patrick said the inmates were captured about 7:45 AM in downtown Newton. 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. El Salvador and Honduras's response to chaos Women - Honduras has the fifth-highest rate of violence against women in the world. Belize's U-19 Women's National Team travels to Honduras on Friday to 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. TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduran authorities reported on Monday the discovery of more than 1.6 million coca leaf bushes in the most important. 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. 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. They offer simple & flexible travel insurance, and safety advice to help you travel confidently. if youre visiting Honduras, you will have to avoid this city completely. Xiomara Castros crackdown on gangs is also an attempt to counter allegations the government hasnt done enough to combat crime. In El Salvador, a Thin Line Between Community Policing and Vigilantism. This Central American country actually has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Well Public transportation can be alittle trickyin Honduras, and its not always safe. Nevertheless, the political gains to be had from emulating Bukeles hardline policies may be too enticing to pass up. Prisons saw significant Covid-19 outbreaks. Youll also have to take care that your children dont stay in the sun fortoo long. Some areas have increased risk. And people do go. 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. Visiting Honduras right now is as safe as it ever was:not very. Half of underage pregnancies result from rape. Honduras Travel Advisory - United States Department of State Honduras has freed dozens of individuals tied to organized crime a year after reforming its money laundering law. However, whilst its quite dangerous, the government is promoting tourism in Honduras. Radio Globo directorDavid Romero, convicted of defamation in 2016, died in prison from Covid-19 in July. Lucky for you,youre not a Honduran citizen. Yery Noel Medina Ulloa of Honduras pleaded guilty . FromLimonestoLa Union, fromGualacotoSan Esteban,and fromLa EsperanzatoGraciasThese routes can bedangerous. Honduras Newspaper : List of All Honduras Newspapers | Honduras News Honestly? The likelihood of you getting caught up in all that relies very much on you being somehow related to one of the gangs. The island attracts a very different crowd indeed. That means suncream, sun-hats, and limiting time in the sun. 'Men can do anything they want to women in Honduras': Inside - ABC News This is when things can get sketchy. 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. Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. Were not going to lie its pretty sketchy. Since 2017, the government has operated centers to support returned migrants. This should not distract, however, from the fact that there are life-threatening problems that residents of Honduras struggle with daily. Heres how to not get ill whilst trying local delights. Juan Orlando Hernndez extolled his achievements as. Her words echo those of Bukele, who has railed against human rights groups, government watchdogs and journalists who have questioned his tactics, saying that they are on the side of the gangs. Already vulnerable people in Honduras live in an evolving humanitarian crisis, says IRC protection coordinator Zuleyma Chahin. Honduras has been through a lot in recent years. If youre not on a highwayyoull probably need a 44. You dont know how clean the persons hands are whos been peeling and chopping the, Dont go TOO in on the food when you first arrive, especially if you get ill from food quite easily. Also in February, the OAS special rapporteur on freedom of expression called on Honduras to decriminalize defamation and to properly investigate killings of journalists. The former vice president has become the Democratic front-runner with primary victories across the country. So, yeah. Honduras isnt different from lots of other great backpacking countries in that youre never absolutely safe from food-borne illness. Hondurans are warm and welcoming people whohave to live day in, day out with the violence in their country. Garza is wanted in Honduras for homicide. World Report 2021: Honduras | Human Rights Watch Escaped inmates from Scott County captured in Newton Tegucigalpa. The measure must still be approved by Congress. Share this via Reddit Members include officers from the police, the military, and the Attorneys General Office. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2018 was 38.93, a 5.01% decline from 2017. There are some safety pointsthat travelers should know for anywhere they travel, but Honduras requires these special considerations. Following domestic and international criticism, the government backtracked and a week later re-established constitutional free speech guarantees. Honduras | Today's latest from Al Jazeera Wed,03/01/23-8:26AM, 3 Reads. On Friday, Jorge Lanza the leader of the bus operators in Honduras, supported the move, saying bus drivers were tired of being threatened and killed for not paying protection money. In fact, according toInSight Crime there has definitely been around a 26% drop in crime since 2016. All that in mind, there are places that expats dolive in Honduras. That being said, its still one of the murder capitals in the world, so if youre an inexperienced travellers, you wont be safe. Latest News Profile Criminal Actors Investigations News Latest News It may not exactly be classed as safe, but Honduras shouldnt be ignored. For Varela, who said she had never been a victim of extortion, but heard a lot about it as of late, human rights are just an obstacle. You basically pay for safety, but better safe than sorry wed say. And when it comes to the extreme violence of Honduras, thosevery highfigures come from gang violence. That measure has proved popular among the public in El Salvador, and has resulted in the arrest of more than 56,000 people for alleged gang ties. Honduras International Travel Information 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. Otherwise, thanks for your ear and stay safe! Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. Patrick said the inmates were captured about 7:45 AM in downtown Newton. Gang violence and organized crime are leading causes of displacement from Honduras. Wed classify it as generally hazardous. 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. There are taxi ranks in a lot of locations. Police raid a house in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on 8 December. To reduce overcrowding in response to the pandemic, the legislature approved alternatives to pretrial detention in June and judges released more than 1,600 people. And theyre generally safe. It can be a super enriching experience. We are all about smart travel and were here to help you travel smart too. There are alsopassenger ferriesif you want to go totheBay Islands. Theres more nature here than you can shake a stick at. Suddenly you find yourself surrounded by backpackers, dive shops, hostels, burger shacks, smoothie stands, and pirate bars. These are pretty safe. Here, you will find safety knowledge and advice for travelling Honduras. So long as violence in Honduras continues without impunity, major displacement will persist in 2022. You can catch a ferry from the mainland atLa Ceibato eitherUtilaorRoatan. The Newton Police Department has arrested three escaped inmates from Scott County, according to Newton police chief, Randy Patrick. Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking, is widespread. International Rescue Committee is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Its a country with a big heart. Climate, violence, and Honduran migration to the United States - Brookings document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Biodiversity is a huge part of Honduras. 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. This is essentially anunsafecountry. Allegations that senior politicians had been benefiting financially from the drug trade contributed to the unrest. It is honestly NOT safe to drink the water in Honduras. The new code also includes alternatives to detention for low-level crimes, including partial prison sentences and penalties that allow for conditional release. 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. Share this via Telegram Honduras is one of themurder capitalsof the world. As a result, humanitarian needs for food, health, nutrition and protection have increased. In June, police detained and beat bus drivers who were allegedly protesting not being able to work due to lockdown restrictions. Honduras declares state of emergency against gang crime - ABC News One good thing I can say about Roatan is that the dive sites are excellent around the island. So whilst its gettingsafer, its a slow process. Activistssaythegovernments Mechanism for the Protection of Journalists, Human Rights Defenders and Operators of Justice, created in 2015, lacks uniform criteria and is ineffective. 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 . Almendares had repeatedly received death threats since 2017 in relation to his reporting. 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. Honduran soldiers wearing facemasks guard the entrance to the city of San Pedro Sula during the coronavirus crisis on April 17, 2020. That said, the governmentclaimsthere has been a 52%decreasein violent crime over the past five years. There are an estimated 115,000 gang members. Seth Sidney Berry / SOPA Images/Sipa USA (Sipa via AP Images), Share this via Facebook "Life Has Become Unlivable in Honduras": How Corruption & Drug Trade And were not going to lie,Honduras doesnt exactly lend itself to solo travel. Often, people with disabilities are threatened and subjected to extortion by criminal gangs. As of August, prisons had reported 1,700 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 38 deaths. A woman is killed every 23 hours on average, the National Autonomous University of Honduras Violence Observatory reports. Read more about the top 10 crises the world cant ignore in 2022, learn how the IRC selected these countries, and download the full 2022 Emergency Watchlist report for data citations and profiles of all 20 crisis countries on the IRC's list. This is due to negotiationsbetween criminal groups and the government, and possibly because of economic aid from the US. Keeping yourself away from any situation to do with them will be a good way to keep yourself pretty much safe. 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. Of course, being a woman anywhere is going to come with additional risk. Dont expect to discover an undeveloped private island. So how do they do it?. "Today at dawn, in a single operation, we transferred the first 2,000 gang . There's no avoiding violence in Honduras, even at home. A 25-year-old migrant who posed as a minor to illegally cross the border was sentenced to 60 years for killing the father of four who took him in. Public buildings, transportation, and information and communication services open to the public are not fully accessible to people with disabilities. In Honduras, Police Accused Of Corruption, Killings Hernndez ran for reelection in 2017 a controversial move in Honduras. But its clear that extortion is occurring in areas where it didnt in the past, and there is no disagreement, among experts or others, on the gravity of the problem. The Gordon Ramsay Honduras Video Just last week the BBC affiliated chef published a video of Honduras. You will have to agree on a pricebefore you get in. Honduras News - Daily News About Honduras Prosecutors and whistleblowers have received death threats. Close to 1 million migrants fled Honduras for the U.S. border over the eight-year tenure of former President Juan Orlando Hernndez, now facing drug trafficking charges after being arrested. Traveling around the country is a more complicated matter. These are the safest islands: Once you get off the ferry in Utila you have officially entered an alternate reality. Here are three reasons the International Rescue Committees Emergency Watchlist ranks Honduras among 20 countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crisis in 2022. 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. EIN number 13-5660870. Honduras Profile - InSight Crime Most serious crime does not affect tourists, but attacks on foreigners, including armed robbery and sexual assault, do sometimes occur. Because of human rights, crime has gone on so long, because human rights defend the criminal, and it shouldnt be like that, she said. The mission in early December was ostensibly to raid a casa loca, an abandoned home used by gang members. The government had granted him protective measures in January 2019. And that is pretty cool. This coastal city is more welcoming togringos than other places and features beaches fringed bycoral reefsand theres a lot of new development happening here. The government relies heavily on the military for public security. How Gangs Control Honduras - YouTube Get your accommodation to either recommenda good company or just book one for you. People are frisked in Tegucigalpa on 26 November. Subscribe. We are on the frontlines providing critical aid to crisis-affected people in more than 40 countries, including places on the 2022 Emergency Watchlist.
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