So. Its a mix of European, indigenous and Caribbean influence, and youll love it. Even if they graduate high school, they can't get a job." The food in Honduras is super tasty. 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. UNHCR; Posted 22 Dec 2022 Originally published 22 . The government bans emergency contraception, known as the morningafter pill, which can prevent pregnancy after rape, unprotected sex, or contraceptive failure. More information. Read on for more detailed information on how to have a safe trip to Honduras. All of these are in Santa Barbara Department, which also sees hijackings aroundTela, La Ceiba, andEl Progresoas well asTrujillo. Honduras - AP NEWS Escaped inmates from Scott County captured in Newton This is an issue that has not been taken seriously by the Honduran state.. Latest News Profile Criminal Actors Investigations News Latest News And for transparencys sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. 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. Security Minister Oscar Alvarez says police have identified two suspects among the five attackers . document.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This website uses cookies to improve your experience. This is essentially anunsafecountry. Late Thursday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional It also documented widespread mistreatment of people detained and arrested during the protests. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. Honduras, the narco-state that illustrates U.S. contradictions By MARLON GONZLEZ November 25, 2022. As of August, prisons had reported 1,700 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 38 deaths. He estimated the companies and drivers have paid an average of about $10 million per month to the gangs in order to operate. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. Many women are choosing to flee the violence in their communities. Its also a nice place since the ferry toUtilaruns from here, making it easy to escape to the tropical paradise of theBay Islandswhenever you feel like it. Theres alsoLa Ceiba. 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 . Honduras Newspaper : List of All Honduras Newspapers | Honduras News Security forces committed abuses while enforcing a nationwide Covid-19 lockdown that President Juan Orlando Hernndez imposed in March. Honduras | Today's latest from Al Jazeera Honduras Peru pulls ambassador from Honduras amid regional criticism Peru has struggled with diplomatic isolation as left-wing. There are probably more sketchy areas in Honduras than there are safe ones. Wed classify it as generally hazardous. Whether thats with friends and family back home, or with accommodation staff, or both. generally, if youre visiting with a guided tour, you should be fine. If San Pedro Sula Is Murder Capital of the World, Who Made It That Way? Everyone from children to adults are recruited. Homicides in Honduras | Association for a More Just Society On theCaribbean coast, there are plenty of delicious dishes to sample, with tortillasand things likerefried beansserved up with every meal. Yery Noel Medina Ulloa of Honduras pleaded guilty . Despite some similarities, the security situation in El Salvador is different from Honduras, which has a much larger territory, higher population, greater poverty and a more diverse set of criminal groups. A ferry also runs betweenTrujilloandGuanaja. 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. Share this via Telegram This is when things can get sketchy. At least 86 journalists were killed from 2001 through July 2020, the Honduran College of Journalists reported, and 92 percent of those killings remain unpunished. So when it comes to safetyin Honduras, we think youllgenerallybe fine, especially in the Bay Islands. Youll be able to travel around here with relative ease. Late Thursday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional rights so as to round up gang members. Escaped inmates from Scott County captured in Newton Its just better to have a local driver drive you around. A Honduran woman and her children manage to cross the remnants of a bridge destroyed by Hurricane Iota. But if youre thinking about it, here are some tips. 14 Problems Hondurans Face Today - Forbes 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. The inmates, all from Honduras, had reportedly escaped custody yesterday in . While Honduras is not seeing the political armed conflict common in most Watchlist countries this year, criminal gang violence is widespread. Its a wild world out there. Dont expect to discover an undeveloped private island. Since 2017, the government has operated centers to support returned migrants. Rights activists say young men are frequently arrested just based on their age, appearance or whether they live in a gang-dominated slum. This Central American country actually has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Gracias a Dios Department due to crime. Honduras - United States Department of State Lanza said that 50 drivers have been killed so far in 2022, and a total of 2,500 have been killed over the last 15 years. So how do they do it?. We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. 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. Theres a lot of fresh fish in places like, Steer clear of anything that you cant peel yourself. Plus theres Copan: the ancientMayanarchaeological site, complete with amazing sculptures. 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. On 24 November, Hondurass leftwing president, Xiomara Castro, declared war on extortion a very real problem that causes economic stagnation, fuels violence and forces countless Hondurans to flee the country. There's no avoiding violence in Honduras, even at home. The number one network in cable, FNC has been the most-watched television news channel for 18 consecutive years. The island attracts a very different crowd indeed. There is no exact number of the exodus, but according to the United States Customs and Border Protection Service, in 2020, they arrested 40,091 Hondurans, who were trying to enter the United States irregularly and until September 2021, this amount increased to 98,554 Honduran arrests, more than double the previous year. Roatan is the more developed, more expensive, and family friendly big brother of Utila. Most who can access the internet do so on their phones. It suspends some Constitutional rights and gives police more powers to arrest and hold suspects. El Salvador and Honduras's response to chaos You will have to agree on a pricebefore you get in. The law also sanctions abortion providers. The IRC serves people and families in vulnerable situations or at increased risk for violence and displacement, including those who are uprooted by violence or returning after seeking safety in other countries. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The violence is carried out by local drug trafficking groups, gangs, corrupt security forces and transnational criminal organizations mainly from Mexico and Colombia. In 2014, the United Nations reported that 95 percent of cases of sexual violence and femicide in Honduras were never even investigated. Share this via Printer, As More Climate Chaos Looms, Slashing Fossil Fuels Is Key. There is only anecdotal evidence of the scale of the problem because so few extortion victims report the crime, making a statistical analysis impossible. Between the pandemic, ever-worsening cultural division, and a click-hungry media, it can be hard to maintain what is truth and what is sensationalism. Since 2012, the Honduran police have implemented a program sponsored by the US Department of State called Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) which aims to discourage youth crime and gang recruitment. They are taxed by gangs. ERO Houston removes twice-deported foreign fugitive wanted in Honduras From 2011 to 2017, the number of killings in Honduras actually dropped, from 87 per 100,000 to 44. In Honduras, the types of danger include, but are not limited to, violent gang activity, trafficking, rape, street crime and armed robbery. But before arriving, the car stopped and the caravan split. Activistssaythegovernments Mechanism for the Protection of Journalists, Human Rights Defenders and Operators of Justice, created in 2015, lacks uniform criteria and is ineffective. In El Salvador, a Thin Line Between Community Policing and Vigilantism. Historically, governments have responded with iron-fist security strategies to combat organized crime, enacting tougher legislation and increasing police presence and mass detentions. https://t.co/xQGbbyZXXv. Violence: Honduras reached a . How Gangs Control Honduras - YouTube 0:00 / 11:46 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users. Lucky for you,youre not a Honduran citizen. By BRENT MAZE. 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. 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. It might sound like paradiseBut it isnt. Allegations that senior politicians had been benefiting financially from the drug trade contributed to the unrest. 18th Street, also known as Calle 18, Barrio 18, Mara 18, or simply La 18 in Central America, is a multi-ethnic (largely Central American and Mexican) transnational criminal organization that started as a street gang in Los Angeles.It is one of the largest transnational criminal gangs in Los Angeles, with 65,000 members between the United States, Mexico, and Central America and is also allied . Get the latest news about the IRC's innovative programs, compelling stories about our clients and how you can make a difference. Women, children and the LGBTQ+ community are the ones most affected and we have seen the demand for services skyrocket It is essential to address the root causes of forced migration, a strategy that the current U.S. administration is adopting. Honduras has freed dozens of individuals tied to organized crime a year after reforming its money laundering law. The men remained missing at time of writing. As of August 2020, more than 21,000 people were detained in prisons with capacity for just under 11,000. Theyre run by private companies, obviously, and aremore expensivethan public buses. A . Otherwise, thanks for your ear and stay safe! Honduras Extends, Expands State of Emergency Meant to Fight Crime, 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. Nevertheless, the political gains to be had from emulating Bukeles hardline policies may be too enticing to pass up. Use these tips to reduce the risk, but we also recommend that you pack some medication fit for a bad stomach. There is an expat community inTrujillo. A local TV correspondent needed to do a live shot for one of the countrys most-watched news programs. In fact, according toInSight Crime there has definitely been around a 26% drop in crime since 2016. Itcan be safe as a solo female traveler in Honduras. The flavors, spices and. We dont want to recommend traveling to the rest of Honduras with your family. Share this via LinkedIn Already vulnerable people in Honduras live in an evolving humanitarian crisis, says IRC protection coordinator Zuleyma Chahin. Keeping yourself away from any situation to do with them will be a good way to keep yourself pretty much safe. 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. Violence in Honduras is usually attributed to gangs and organised crime, but US federal prosecutors have implicated high-level politicians, the military and police in cocaine trafficking to the US . Donate now to support the IRC's life-changing work in Honduras, across northern Central America, and worldwide. Some victims of extortion said that the only thing that has changed is how the money is collected. Because of human rights, crime has gone on so long, because human rights defend the criminal, and it shouldnt be like that, she said. Its better for the environment and ends up being more economical in the long run. 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. Honduran women face daily struggles. via REUTERS. And people do go. So, yeah. Honduras Is the Most Violent Country in Central America | News Share this via Twitter Extortion in the Northern Triangle is predominantly done from prisons, yet prison populations have been on the rise. Gang violence is a big issue in Honduras. Honduras Profile - InSight Crime 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. InSight Crime's 2022 Homicide Round-Up covers more countries than ever before, with a major expansion into nations of the Caribbean. Alongside her husband, Sasha, she co-founded the. 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. Theyre fairly easy to use, but be aware of the risks. Inside Gang Territory in Honduras: 'Either They Kill Us or We Kill Them For example, theBay Islandsaresaferthan the mainland. This is apretty safe area to visit. As the camera rolled, the police began stopping vehicles passing by in the background, running ID cards and frisking occupants. Climate, violence, and Honduran migration to the United States - Brookings The measure, part of leftist President Xiomara Castro's crackdown on gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18, suspends some constitutional rights and allows security forces to detain people who they consider associated with or have committed crimes. The poverty resulting from all this is what youll have to watch out for. And this area is great for children. Tegucigalpa - AP NEWS