Nope. Politicians are manipulated by criminals or other politicians. Heres what you need to know about the growing crisis in Honduras. 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. Share this via Twitter Violence: Honduras reached a . Prisons saw significant Covid-19 outbreaks. At nighttime, you should really get a taxi. 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. 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. And were not going to lie,Honduras doesnt exactly lend itself to solo travel. And taxi driversprobably wont have enough change to cover a big bill, socarry small denominations. And there are roads that have higher levels ofattacks,including carjacking. 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. The first 2,000 inmates were transferred to El Salvador's new mega-prison for hardcore gangbangers. 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. At the same time, we need to acknowledge that it will take time for systems to change, but families across Honduras cannot waitthey have immediate needs to be safe and secure. But if the peace in the condemning nations were to rupture the way it has in El Salvador and Honduras, we can bet they . It may not exactly be classed as safe, but Honduras shouldnt be ignored. There are some safety pointsthat travelers should know for anywhere they travel, but Honduras requires these special considerations. Check in and let people know your plans. Share this via Telegram 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. Officials flew Garza, a 48-year-old . In 2018, the last year for which statistics are available, 60 percent of perpetrators were domestic partners. There are high levels of crime in Honduras. Theyve been doing it since 2002 protecting, connecting, and inspiring independent travellers just like you. All of these are in Santa Barbara Department, which also sees hijackings aroundTela, La Ceiba, andEl Progresoas well asTrujillo. But its pretty damn special too. 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 . Traveling here is definitely adventurous, but that doesnt mean its off-limits for solo travelers. You will have to agree on a pricebefore you get in. 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. Many Hondurans dont have access toclean waterandmedical care. Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. For now, there are 15,000 taxis who want your attention. 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. So long as violence in Honduras continues without impunity, major displacement will persist in 2022. Just 18 percent of Hondurans have internet access in their homes and a quarter of homes in rural areas dont have electricity. Gang violence is a big issue in Honduras. El Salvador and Honduras have been condemned by the "civilized" world. So backpacking Honduras isnt always just a breeze. That said, the governmentclaimsthere has been a 52%decreasein violent crime over the past five years. Were not going to say its thesafest place to travel,nor is it going to be the easiestplace to travel as a solo female. 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. Extortion and Sexual Violence: Womens Unspoken Suffering, Loan Sharking Grows in Costa Rica by Piggybacking on Drug Trafficking, Extortion of Guatemalas Red Buses: Where Gang and Elite Criminal Interests Meet, The Lucky Kingpin: How Chepe Diablo Has (So Far) Ridiculed Justice, Guatemala's Mafia State and the Case of Mauricio Lpez Bonilla, University Deans and Guatemalas Convoluted Road to a New Attorney General, GameChangers 2022: Drug Bonanza Amid Prohibition Challenges in 2023, Honduras' State of Exception May Set Worrying Precedent, Why Money Launderers in Honduras May Be Getting Away With It, Military Arsenals Provide Convenient Source of Weapons for Latin American Gangs, Extortion in Northern Triangle Worth Over $1 Billion Annually: Report, Latin American Leaders Voice Security Concerns At United Nations General Assembly. We also provide critical, up-to-date information and support from trained moderators through CuntaNos, a digital platform that is part of the Global Signpost project. 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. But before arriving, the car stopped and the caravan split. Its not a good idea to go out to bars and clubs by yourself. Theres a lot to learn about Honduras that goes beyond gangs and beaches. Just in case, thats No quiero compartir el taxi.. Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. Extortion in the Northern Triangle is predominantly done from prisons, yet prison populations have been on the rise. Sexual violence and oppression are frequent tragedies here. Independent travel is going to require A LOT of being careful. The Gordon Ramsay Honduras Video Just last week the BBC affiliated chef published a video of Honduras. The Covid-19 pandemic has further limited access to education for many children. Poor health infrastructure and limited access to sanitation services has contributed to the spread of the virus. In October, the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), of which Cceres was president, complained of continued delays and a lack of transparency in the case. You can definitely push your luck by staying in the wrong neighborhood as well. This is due to negotiationsbetween criminal groups and the government, and possibly because of economic aid from the US. (Reporting by Orfa Mejia in Tegucigalpa; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Leslie Adler). Thepublic busesconsist ofthe good oldchicken bus. An eSIM works just like an app: you buy it, you download it, and BOOM! We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Of 25,000 gang members in 2012, nearly a fifth were children, UNICEF estimated. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. The number one network in cable, FNC has been the most-watched television news channel for 18 consecutive years. 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. Clearly, with the pandemic, that goal wasnt reached, but its not been forgotten either. Get the latest news about the IRC's innovative programs, compelling stories about our clients and how you can make a difference. They practice "war taxing", which is essentially just demanding money from people. 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. 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 . Copyright International Rescue Committee, 2023. crises in 2022 in Latin America and the Caribbean, top 10 crises the world cant ignore in 2022, calling for stronger international cooperation, 2.8 million people in need of humanitarian aid, 36% of funding received for 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan, 937,000 disaster-induced displacements in 2020, 3.3 million people facing crisis or worse levels of food insecurity in 2022. To Desafio, the Barrio 18 gang in Honduras was everything. That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we dont believe are up to scratch. Travel smart and make sure your safety and security is your number one priority. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. The men remained missing at time of writing. If you see any outdated information in this guide, we would really appreciate it if you could reach out in the comments below. Not really. Late Thursday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional rights so as to round up gang members. 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. There is an expat community inTrujillo. 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. As of August 2020, more than 21,000 people were detained in prisons with capacity for just under 11,000. 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. Its just that easy. Support focuses primarily on reintegration into the labor market, rather than assistance for people who fled seeking international protection. Roatan is the more developed, more expensive, and family friendly big brother of Utila. A quarter of women and girls become pregnant before turning 18the second-highest rate in Latin America. It is not just murder, it's also the shocking numbers of rape, assault, and domestic violence cases, happening with near-total impunity. The government bans emergency contraception, known as the morningafter pill, which can prevent pregnancy after rape, unprotected sex, or contraceptive failure. Classes were broadcast on television, radio, and online, in some cases with assignments sent via Whatsapp. Gangsplay a big part of life here. Chronic violence, climate crisis and the impacts of COVID-19 have deepened humanitarian needs and driven displacement. Or gangs attacking Honduran citizens for not paying war tax. Im nervous, repeated a young police officer driving a pickup truck crowded with heavily armed special forces officers. In the 2010s, Honduras' homicide rate skyrocketed, peaking in 2011 and slowly declining since. Sign in How Gangs Control Honduras VICE News 8.42M subscribers. In April, the office expressed concern regarding accusations of excesive use of force by state security agents enforcing the governments Covid-19 restrictions. It can be a super enriching experience. Honduras hasn't specified exactly what the state of emergency would entail, but normally such measures temporarily suspend normal rules regulating arrests and searches; sometime limits on freedom of speech and assembly are implemented as well. Yery Noel Medina Ulloa of Honduras pleaded guilty . 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. A local TV correspondent needed to do a live shot for one of the countrys most-watched news programs. Public buildings, transportation, and information and communication services open to the public are not fully accessible to people with disabilities. In certain areas, yes Honduras is safe to travel for families. 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. But you wont be (in a Honduran gang, that is). 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. 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. Well Public transportation can be alittle trickyin Honduras, and its not always safe. But the thing iswomen DO travel alone to Honduras. Juan Orlando Hernndez extolled his achievements as. For example, theBay Islandsaresaferthan the mainland.