Disclaimer: Safety conditions change all over the world on a daily basis. 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. 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). Sign in How Gangs Control Honduras VICE News 8.42M subscribers. But travelers DO take these buses. You should ask locals on the best routes to take to any given place. 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. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Biodiversity is a huge part of Honduras. In June 2020, a new criminal code came into effect. Crisis in Honduras: Ongoing violence and climate shocks Here are three reasons the International Rescue Committee's Emergency Watchlist ranks Honduras among 20 countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crisis in 2022. World Nomads mission is to support and encourage travellers to explore their boundaries. There is an expat community inTrujillo. 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 . Certain routes that these take have been the target ofarmed attacks. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. 20 Top Safety Tips for Traveling to Honduras. 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. Here is available the most popular Honduras Newspapers list. The measure must still be approved by Congress. Gracias a Dios Department due to crime. The Bay Islands are the only palace in Honduras that can (kind of) be considered somewhat safe. 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. Whether thats with friends and family back home, or with accommodation staff, or both. Women in Guatemala: The New Faces of Extortion? 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. Anyone else would do well with a trusted tour group. An eSIM works just like an app: you buy it, you download it, and BOOM! 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. If you see any outdated information in this guide, we would really appreciate it if you could reach out in the comments below. The government bans emergency contraception, known as the morningafter pill, which can prevent pregnancy after rape, unprotected sex, or contraceptive failure. 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. This is an issue that has not been taken seriously by the Honduran state.. But if the peace in the condemning nations were to rupture the way it has in El Salvador and Honduras, we can bet they . FILE - Honduras' President Xiomara Castro addresses the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, Sept. 20, 2022. FILE PHOTO: Police raid a house after Honduras' President Xiomara Castro (not pictured) mobilised . Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking, is widespread. InSight Crime's 2022 Homicide Round-Up covers more countries than ever before, with a major expansion into nations of the Caribbean. The coastline of Cedeno, a fishing village in southern Honduras, looks like it was hit by an earthquake - houses, businesses and clubs stand in ruins. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. Its not 100% safe in Honduras. This is due to negotiationsbetween criminal groups and the government, and possibly because of economic aid from the US. Marvin Damin Castro Molina, who, as part of the Coordination of the Southern Social Environmental Movement for Life, fought mining, agro-industry, and hydroelectric projects, was abducted and found dead in Choluteca in July 2020. The government of Honduras is committed to attracting more tourists. There's no avoiding violence in Honduras, even at home. According to Hugo Maldonado, president of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in Honduras, this year has seen 116 femicides and 23 group murders, along with more than 1,356 violent. In fact, most people in Honduras have a family member in a gang. Support focuses primarily on reintegration into the labor market, rather than assistance for people who fled seeking international protection. Do your own research. This social democratic government is declaring war on extorsion, just as it has, since the first day, declared wars on corruption, impunity and drug trafficking," Castro said. A ferry also runs betweenTrujilloandGuanaja. Its not very safe to drive in Honduras. Of course, while it's not ever good to generalize an. The streets of major cities like Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula are gripped by crime and conflict. Theres alsoLa Ceiba. 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. 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. One example:tajadas(fried plantains, topped with cabbage and served with ground beef). Hardline policies, meanwhile, are popular because people think that theyre going to work but inevitably the track record is that they havent, said Malone. This has a pretty good expat community too. We strive to provide the most relevant travel information on the web and always appreciate input from our readers (nicely, please!). Judges continue to face interference, including political pressure, threats, and harassment, from the executive branch, private actors with connections to government, and organized crime. The story 6 gang members killed in Honduras prison was published by the Associated Press on 2022-07-04 18:29:24. The rate of young people killing other young people is down to twomain gangs:Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) andBarrio 18. The Newton Police Department has arrested three escaped inmates from Scott County, according to Newton police chief, Randy Patrick. The government has set up roadblocks, deployed security forces, and used violence to prevent people from leaving the country. Here, you will find safety knowledge and advice for travelling Honduras. Domestic and sexual violence are also widespread, with women and children bearing the brunt. Allegations that senior politicians had been benefiting financially from the drug trade contributed to the unrest. Violence has long ruled here. Members of the military police of public order patrol a street during a special operation against criminal gangs in Tegucigalpa on 6 December. Your little ones get to see the Mesoamerican Reef,thesecond largest barrier reef in the world. Wed classify it as generally hazardous. Prosecutors and whistleblowers have received death threats. Use these tips to reduce the risk, but we also recommend that you pack some medication fit for a bad stomach. 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. Historically, governments have responded with iron-fist security strategies to combat organized crime, enacting tougher legislation and increasing police presence and mass detentions. Were not going to say its thesafest place to travel,nor is it going to be the easiestplace to travel as a solo female. 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. And there are roads that have higher levels ofattacks,including carjacking. They are taxed by gangs. But this article is written for savvy travellers from the perspective of savvy travellers. After irregularities and delays, the trial of David Castillo, one of the men accused of planning the 2016 killing of environmental activist Berta Cceres, began in September 2020. 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. 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. We are on the frontlines providing critical aid to crisis-affected people in more than 40 countries, including places on the 2022 Emergency Watchlist. By 2020 they want an additional milliontourists annually. 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. The inmates, all from Honduras, had reportedly escaped custody yesterday in Scott County.