Gang violence and organized crime are leading causes of displacement from 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. That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we dont believe are up to scratch. Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. For example, theBay Islandsaresaferthan the mainland. Please donate. ThisCentral Americancountry suffers from what many countries in the region have suffered from or are currently battling with namely corruption, gangs,anddrugs. 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. Whether thats with friends and family back home, or with accommodation staff, or both. And Honduras has been struggling to build representative democracy, to fight corruption and crime. 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 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. Juan Aguilar, 41, and his wife, Margaret Wilson, 39, both of San Leandro, face charges of kidnapping to commit a sex crime, human trafficking of a minor, forcible rape, and forcible oral copulation. They practice "war taxing", which is essentially just demanding money from people. If youdo get one in the street, ensure that you tell the taxi driver that you dont want to share the taxi. Half of underage pregnancies result from rape. That said, the development that has taken place has not totally sucked the island dry of its charm. Youre connected. We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. Do your own research. Download Historical Data. Clearly, with the pandemic, that goal wasnt reached, but its not been forgotten either. Latest News Profile Criminal Actors Investigations News Latest News Members of the military police of public order get ready during a special operation in Tegucigalpa on 6 December. Many women are choosing to flee the violence in their communities. 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 can be a super enriching experience. Itcan be safe as a solo female traveler in Honduras. From 2011 to 2017, the number of killings in Honduras actually dropped, from 87 per 100,000 to 44. In September, the OHCHR and IACHR expressed concern regarding the continued spread of the virus in prisons. One example:tajadas(fried plantains, topped with cabbage and served with ground beef). 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. 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. 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. msn back to msn home news Skip To Navigation It has experienced one of the world's highest homicide rates, with multiple forms of violence linked to drug trafficking groups. Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. However, whilst its quite dangerous, the government is promoting tourism in Honduras. 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. Dont open the door for anyone, unless youre expecting a visit. But traveling there is possible, of course. Following domestic and international criticism, the government backtracked and a week later re-established constitutional free speech guarantees. Gangs exercise territorial control over neighborhoods and extort residents throughout the country. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. The government had granted him protective measures in January 2019. There's no avoiding violence in Honduras, even at home. Its a wild world out there. You can too. Prolonged droughts have undermined food production, while in October 2021 a wildfire in the Guanaja region affected thousands. Theres a lot of fresh fish in places like, Steer clear of anything that you cant peel yourself. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File Photo. These drug trafficking gangs rule peoples lives. 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. Please support our mission investigating organized crime. Almendares had repeatedly received death threats since 2017 in relation to his reporting. It might sound like paradiseBut it isnt. 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. Seeing the world without anyone to answer to, getting to challenge yourself andgrow as a person. Patrick said the inmates were captured about 7:45 AM in downtown Newton. Xiomara should hurry up and go after all those gang members, said Isidora Varela, 70, at her market stand in downtown Tegucigalpa. Gang violence is a big issue in Honduras. Sometimes the drivers are assaulted. However, if you decide to travel independently, youll face quite a few challenges. Is your phone eSIM ready? 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. If youre not on a highwayyoull probably need a 44. There are many daily newspapers in Honduras where that constantly provide the latest updated news and information. Police raid a house in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on 8 December. Gangs kill, disappear, rape, or displace those who resist. But this article is written for savvy travellers from the perspective of savvy travellers. In 2014, the United Nations reported that 95 percent of cases of sexual violence and femicide in Honduras were never even investigated. 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. 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. 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. Since 2010, 42. 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. People do it. 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. 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. 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. ACNUR acoge con satisfaccin la aprobacin de la ley sobre desplazamiento interno en Honduras Format News and Press Release Source. We hope these measures work and remain in place.. Just 18 percent of Hondurans have internet access in their homes and a quarter of homes in rural areas dont have electricity. You should ask locals on the best routes to take to any given place. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. And there are roads that have higher levels ofattacks,including carjacking. 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. 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. Couple that with 470 miles of (mainly) Caribbean coastline, a load of beaches and tropical islands, as well asMayan ruinsand you got yourself adream destination. This helps keep everyone in poverty. Dont put yourself through that stress. Roatan is the more developed, more expensive, and family friendly big brother of Utila. Activistssaythegovernments Mechanism for the Protection of Journalists, Human Rights Defenders and Operators of Justice, created in 2015, lacks uniform criteria and is ineffective. Or gangs attacking Honduran citizens for not paying war tax. And when it comes to the extreme violence of Honduras, thosevery highfigures come from gang violence. Garza is wanted in Honduras for homicide. 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. Newton County Sheriff's Office was involved with . The inmates, all from Honduras, had reportedly escaped custody yesterday in . The code also includes poorly constructed provisions that could lead to violations of the rights to assemble and protest and an overly broad definition of association to engage in terrorism, which could be used to criminalize and disproportionately punish behaviors that fall far short of what most reasonable observers would consider terrorism. Theyre fairly easy to use, but be aware of the risks. 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. Gangs attacking other gangs. And that is pretty cool. As the camera rolled, the police began stopping vehicles passing by in the background, running ID cards and frisking occupants. Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency against gang crimes like extortion. February 18 2022 Receive free Honduras updates We'll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Honduras news every morning. But if youre thinking about it, here are some tips. Reaching primary sources and getting the real story involve extensive fieldwork. 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. This isnt one for first-time backpackers. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. Often, people with disabilities are threatened and subjected to extortion by criminal gangs. As a result, humanitarian needs for food, health, nutrition and protection have increased. Marred by corruption and abuse, the judiciary and police remain largely ineffective. Gangsplay a big part of life here. 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. The likelihood of you getting caught up in all that relies very much on you being somehow related to one of the gangs. crime Mayor and Retired Honduras National Police Sub-Commissioner Arrested for Organized Crime Involvement By Hector Martinez on February 24, 2016 crime, extortion, gangs, mara, MaraSalvatrucha, ms13, MS18, murder, narcotics, OrganizedCrime, salvatrucha General Honduras News, Headline News This includes 2,838,450 Pfizer doses and 3,250,140 Moderna doses. Sat Navs might not always tell you the best route. Heres how to not get ill whilst trying local delights. That means suncream, sun-hats, and limiting time in the sun. https://t.co/xQGbbyZXXv. 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. The Newton Police Department has arrested three escaped inmates from Scott County, according to Newton police chief, Randy Patrick. To make sure youre having a successful trip, weve listed the safest, and the no-go areas below. 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. Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere. Gangs, particularly the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and the 18th Street Gang (Barrio 18), are considered to be largely responsible for Honduras murder rate, and are infamous for extortion and drug peddling. Thats why we listed the no-go areas in Honduras below. 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. You will have to agree on a pricebefore you get in. So youll likely escape having to pay war tax (or facing the consequences). More information. Travel smart and make sure your safety and security is your number one priority. Hardline policies, meanwhile, are popular because people think that theyre going to work but inevitably the track record is that they havent, said Malone. The most extensive database on organized crime in the Americas. 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. Its a massive issue. And people do go. 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 . EIN number 13-5660870. This is an issue that has not been taken seriously by the Honduran state.. According to a State Department report last year, there are up to 10,000 gang members in Honduras, a country with roughly 8 million people. 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. Country Summary: Violent crime, such as homicide and armed robbery, is common. 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. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. Keeping yourself away from any situation to do with them will be a good way to keep yourself pretty much safe. Honduras, in general, is open and welcoming to children. And taxi driversprobably wont have enough change to cover a big bill, socarry small denominations. 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. If you see any outdated information in this guide, we would really appreciate it if you could reach out in the comments below. This is apretty safe area to visit. The Bay Islands are the only palace in Honduras that can (kind of) be considered somewhat safe. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. I agree with Bukele and I want the same here. But if the peace in the condemning nations were to rupture the way it has in El Salvador and Honduras, we can bet they . In September, two men shot and killed journalist Luis Alonzo Almendares in Comayagua. 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. People here live in pretty supreme poverty 60%of the population living in poverty really isa lot of people. Over60% of the populationlive below the poverty line. They practice war taxing, which is essentially just demanding money from people. Check in and let people know your plans. Individuals and state agents continute to threaten and attack journalists, press freedom groups report. We then verify, write and edit, providing the tools to generate real impact. 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. A collection of moments during and after Barack Obama's presidency. Share this via Printer, As More Climate Chaos Looms, Slashing Fossil Fuels Is Key. Women, children and the LGBTQ+ community are the ones most affected and we have seen the demand for services skyrocket, while the organizations delivering aid need increased resources to be able to staff up to meet the urgent needs, says Meg Galas, director for northern Central America at the IRC. The former vice president has become the Democratic front-runner with primary victories across the country. Sign in How Gangs Control Honduras VICE News 8.42M subscribers. In November 2020, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights heard the case of Vicky Hernndez, a trans woman allegedly extrajudicially executed in 2009. San Pedro Sula is the most dangerous city, not just in Honduras, but in the whole world. Disclaimer: Safety conditions change all over the world on a daily basis. Prosecutors and whistleblowers have received death threats. 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. 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. Suddenly you find yourself surrounded by backpackers, dive shops, hostels, burger shacks, smoothie stands, and pirate bars.
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