Because of human rights, crime has gone on so long, because human rights defend the criminal, and it shouldnt be like that, she said. There is only anecdotal evidence of the scale of the problem because so few extortion victims report the crime, making a statistical analysis impossible. Since the end of the last decade, political protection has allowed the traditional drug trafficking groups to flourish. 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. 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. 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. 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. Dont eat at tourist traps. Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking, is widespread. In these demonstrations, more than 1,500 were arrested and30 people were killed. The government had granted him protective measures in January 2019. . 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 . And for transparencys sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. Most who can access the internet do so on their phones. It is honestly NOT safe to drink the water in Honduras. 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. A . Here, you will find safety knowledge and advice for travelling Honduras. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2020 was 36.33, a 13.52% decline from 2019. 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. if youre visiting Honduras, you will have to avoid this city completely. The likelihood of you getting caught up in all that relies very much on you being somehow related to one of the gangs. 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. Honduras isnt a gay-friendly country, however, there are some movements that are going in the right direction. Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. 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. However, if you decide to travel independently, youll face quite a few challenges. Share this via Printer, As More Climate Chaos Looms, Slashing Fossil Fuels Is Key. 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. By MARLON GONZLEZ November 25, 2022. That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we dont believe are up to scratch. 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. Wed classify it as generally hazardous. After a 2019 wave of gang violence that killed 37 detainees, President Hernndez declared a state of emergency and put prisons under military control. If youdo get one in the street, ensure that you tell the taxi driver that you dont want to share the taxi. You basically pay for safety, but better safe than sorry wed say. Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. 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. This has a pretty good expat community too. This should not distract, however, from the fact that there are life-threatening problems that residents of Honduras struggle with daily. If you use our guide, do your own research, and practise common sense, you will have a safe trip to Honduras. So far, the state of exception in Honduras has produced some arrests and forced the gangs and other criminal groups to keep a lower profile. Visiting Honduras right now is as safe as it ever was:not very. Prosecutors and whistleblowers have received death threats. For now, there are 15,000 taxis who want your attention. We are going to be covering a whole lot of topics in this epic Honduras safety guide. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The data was compiled by Citizen Council for Public Security, Justice, and Peace, a Mexican. Prolonged droughts have undermined food production, while in October 2021 a wildfire in the Guanaja region affected thousands. And people do go. Nevertheless, the political gains to be had from emulating Bukeles hardline policies may be too enticing to pass up. (KCAU) The Stanton County Sheriff's Office said that they've cited two men who allegedly killed an American Bald Eagle. 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. So long as violence in Honduras continues without impunity, major displacement will persist in 2022. Heres how to not get ill whilst trying local delights. They forcibly recruit children and sexually abuse women, girls, and LGBT people. In December 2018, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights found Honduras responsible for failing to investigate Hernndezs death. While there were a few violent crime incidents, most travelers have a safe and pleasant stay. Trump, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, announced a slate of futuristic new policies in a campaign video Friday. Officials flew Garza, a 48-year-old . Gang violence is a big issue in Honduras. A law prohibiting same-sex couples from adopting childrentook effect in 2019. Its just better to have a local driver drive you around. Sign up for our newsletter and get the best travel tips delivered right to your inbox. It can be a super enriching experience. Although there is a law that provides higher penalties for bias-based crimes, including on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, the Attorney Generals office told Human Rights Watch in September 2020 that no one has been convicted under the law. 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. International Rescue Committee is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. He estimated the companies and drivers have paid an average of about $10 million per month to the gangs in order to operate. The Bay Islands are the only palace in Honduras that can (kind of) be considered somewhat safe. All of these are in Santa Barbara Department, which also sees hijackings aroundTela, La Ceiba, andEl Progresoas well asTrujillo. Honduras recorded 3,496 murders in 2020. LGBTpeople in Honduras are frequently the targets of violence and discrimination, according to Human Rights Watch research. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2018 was 38.93, a 5.01% decline from 2017. Simple as that. Honduras and theUS signed anasylum cooperative agreement in 2019, whereby Honduras agreed to receivenon-Honduran asylum-seekerstransferred by the US. STANTON COUNTY, Neb. 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. And this area is great for children. Poor health infrastructure and limited access to sanitation services has contributed to the spread of the virus. One example:tajadas(fried plantains, topped with cabbage and served with ground beef). Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. 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. Xiomara Castros crackdown on gangs is also an attempt to counter allegations the government hasnt done enough to combat crime. Make sure to check the reviews from previous travellers to check for any problems during their stay. Violent crime is at its peak in Honduras. How to tackle it is another issue. However, whilst its quite dangerous, the government is promoting tourism in Honduras. Just 18 percent of Hondurans have internet access in their homes and a quarter of homes in rural areas dont have electricity. Corruption, crime, and gang activity inhibits the ability to conduct business activities freely and dissuades entrepreneurs from establishing new businesses. 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. More than half of detained men and two-thirds of detained women were in pretrial detention. 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 Covid-19 pandemic has further limited access to education for many children. Gang violence is widespread in and around urban areas. We need to address these immediate needs too.. As a result, humanitarian needs for food, health, nutrition and protection have increased. 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. Efforts to reform public-security institutions have stalled. Read on for more detailed information on how to have a safe trip to Honduras. It was a show: a show of force following the example set by the hardline policies of neighbouring El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele has led a controversial crackdown on gangs that has led to the detention of more than 2% of its adult population. In the 2010s, Honduras' homicide rate skyrocketed, peaking in 2011 and slowly declining since. Violence: Honduras reached a . Other ways to share That means getting used to gangs, violence, and corruption. In fact, most people in Honduras have a family member in a gang. Abuses by security forces, including alleged collusion with criminal organizations, and weak state institutions, have contributed to the persistence of gang violence. Chronic violence, climate crisis and the impacts of COVID-19 have deepened humanitarian needs and driven displacement. The Newton Police Department has arrested three escaped inmates from Scott County, according to Newton police chief, Randy Patrick. It is important to know that Utila is very much a developed backpacker hotspot. Chances are it wasnt cooked with too much care. Gang violence and organized crime are leading causes of displacement from Honduras. Since 2010, 42. 2023, The Broke Backpacker. Honduras has the misfortune of being situated between South American cocaine production and U.S. drug consumption. Honduras newspaper, TV channel news, online portal news, and magazine sites are getting popularity day by day around the world. 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. I consent to my personal information being processed in accordance with The Broke Backpackers. 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. Suddenly you find yourself surrounded by backpackers, dive shops, hostels, burger shacks, smoothie stands, and pirate bars. Security experts are divided on how much the perception is the result of sensationalist media coverage, a real rise, a little of both or simply the continued expansion of a problem that has metastasized for two decades. Womenand girls who terminate pregnancies face prison sentences of up to six years. Rights activists say young men are frequently arrested just based on their age, appearance or whether they live in a gang-dominated slum. Weve covered the main safety concerns already, but there are a few more things to know. The first 2,000 inmates were transferred to El Salvador's new mega-prison for hardcore gangbangers. 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). One good thing I can say about Roatan is that the dive sites are excellent around the island. 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. Its just that easy. Earlier this year, Honduras appeared set to follow an example set by another neighbor, Nicaragua, whose community-based policing approach was for years hailed for maintaining exceptionally low crime rates and minimal gang presence until the government turned the police into a repressive force against the people amid widespread protests in 2018.
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