Most who can access the internet do so on their phones. To make sure youre having a successful trip, weve listed the safest, and the no-go areas below. 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. So keep that in mind and have a read of our safety tips for solo female travelers thinking of taking a trip to Honduras. In April, the office expressed concern regarding accusations of excesive use of force by state security agents enforcing the governments Covid-19 restrictions. Poor health infrastructure and limited access to sanitation services has contributed to the spread of the virus. Other ways to share Nope. Naturally, youre going to be wondering, Is Honduras safe? That is why we have created this insiders guide looking at the safety of travelers in Honduras. That being said, its still one of the murder capitals in the world, so if youre an inexperienced travellers, you wont be safe. Our work is costly and high risk. The former vice president has become the Democratic front-runner with primary victories across the country. Patrick said the inmates were captured about 7:45 AM in downtown Newton. Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. Until his life grew increasingly violent. Late Thursday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional Honduras Honduras declares war against gangs - and for control of popular narrative Xiomara Castro's crackdown on gangs is also an attempt to counter allegations the government hasn't done. Simple as that. Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere. Some areas are also safer than others. But if youre thinking about it, here are some tips. As of August, prisons had reported 1,700 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 38 deaths. Sat Navs might not always tell you the best route. 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. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File Photo. FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. A woman is killed every 23 hours on average, the National Autonomous University of Honduras Violence Observatory reports. Subscribe. In July 2020, gunmen in police uniforms abducted five indigenous Garifuna men in Triunfo de la Cruz, where communities are claiming ancestral land from drug traffickers and developers. In neighboring El Salvador, President Nayib Bukele requested Congress grant him extraordinary powers after gangs were blamed for 62 killings on March 26, and that emergency decree has been renewed every month since then. - The New York Times Inside Gang Territory In Honduras 'Either They Kill Us or We Kill Them' In one of the deadliest cities in the world, an embattled group of young men had little but their tiny. 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. There is only anecdotal evidence of the scale of the problem because so few extortion victims report the crime, making a statistical analysis impossible. 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. Investigations were underway at time of writing. To reduce overcrowding in response to the pandemic, the legislature approved alternatives to pretrial detention in June and judges released more than 1,600 people. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2017 was 40.98, a 26.23% decline from 2016. 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. 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. Every dollar supports our mission. The flavors, spices and. It was Zelaya's intention to seek a second term that coup leaders. Members of the military police of public order patrol a street during a special operation against criminal gangs in Tegucigalpa on 6 December. In fact, according toInSight Crime there has definitely been around a 26% drop in crime since 2016. Make sure to check the reviews from previous travellers to check for any problems during their stay. Extortion in the Northern Triangle is predominantly done from prisons, yet prison populations have been on the rise. I consent to my personal information being processed in accordance with The Broke Backpackers. So youll likely escape having to pay war tax (or facing the consequences). And if youre visiting as part of a tour, then youre likely to stay safe. Sign up for our newsletter and get the best travel tips delivered right to your inbox. It may have improved it actually. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Honduras may sound scary, but if you take into account the advice of locals, plan ahead, and use your common sense,Honduras will open up to you as a solo female traveler. We are going to eradicate extortion in every corner of our country.. So whilst its gettingsafer, its a slow process. And taxi driversprobably wont have enough change to cover a big bill, socarry small denominations. While there were a few violent crime incidents, most travelers have a safe and pleasant stay. Honduras has been through a lot in recent years. These are pretty safe. Its a mix of European, indigenous and Caribbean influence, and youll love it. We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. We need to address these immediate needs too.. This is an issue that has not been taken seriously by the Honduran state.. 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. That means suncream, sun-hats, and limiting time in the sun. 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. La Ceibaon the northern coast, with mountains, jungles, and beaches, is a chilled and adventurous area to explore. This is when things can get sketchy. 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. The Bay Islands are the only palace in Honduras that can (kind of) be considered somewhat safe. EIN number 13-5660870. At the same time, traveling alone can be stressful, boring, lonely, anddangerous in varying quantities. Late Thursday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional rights so as to round up gang members. (KCAU) The Stanton County Sheriff's Office said that they've cited two men who allegedly killed an American Bald Eagle. Theyre old U.S. school buses that are poorly maintained,andovercrowded. Clearly, with the pandemic, that goal wasnt reached, but its not been forgotten either. How Gangs Control Honduras - YouTube 0:00 / 11:46 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users. They practice war taxing, which is essentially just demanding money from people. But this article is written for savvy travellers from the perspective of savvy travellers. Not only that, but thecorruptionin everything the low to the high levels of the politics here is standard. Honduran people are friendly and welcoming. In September, two men shot and killed journalist Luis Alonzo Almendares in Comayagua. via REUTERS. 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. Download Historical Data. Lucky for you,youre not a Honduran citizen. Your laptop deserves a proper pack, and we know a good few! Shootings are very common in poorer areas too. Plus theres Copan: the ancientMayanarchaeological site, complete with amazing sculptures. Were not going to say its thesafest place to travel,nor is it going to be the easiestplace to travel as a solo female. 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. As expected, the video went viral and the local newspapers made sure they put this trusted news source on their front page. Just in case, thats No quiero compartir el taxi.. And for transparencys sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. The law also sanctions abortion providers. Dont open the door for anyone, unless youre expecting a visit. Take theBay Islands,for example. Here are three reasons the International Rescue Committees Emergency Watchlist ranks Honduras among 20 countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crisis in 2022. The new code also includes alternatives to detention for low-level crimes, including partial prison sentences and penalties that allow for conditional release. Every 18 hours, a woman is a victim of a violent death. Note that they are generally safe to visit during the day (with a bit of caution obviously), especially if you have a local guide, but should be fully avoided at night. 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. 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. Taxis areall over the placein Honduras. Were not going to lie its pretty sketchy. The Gordon Ramsay Honduras Video Just last week the BBC affiliated chef published a video of Honduras. This is due to negotiationsbetween criminal groups and the government, and possibly because of economic aid from the US. Honduras and theUS signed anasylum cooperative agreement in 2019, whereby Honduras agreed to receivenon-Honduran asylum-seekerstransferred by the US. 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. Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. But its pretty damn special too. Individuals and state agents continute to threaten and attack journalists, press freedom groups report. 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. San Pedro Sula is the most dangerous city, not just in Honduras, but in the whole world. Locals have to pay war taxes which keeps the poverty rate high as well. To Desafio, the Barrio 18 gang in Honduras was everything. In 2018, the government created a special force to fight gangs (Fuerza Nacional Anti Maras y pandillas). International Rescue Committee is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. And theyre generally safe. 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. 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. The crime rates are improving and the government is putting a lot of effort into attracting more tourists. Journalists, environmental activists, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT). Some are deprived of full legal capacity and are institutionalized in different settings, including psychiatric hospitals. Gangs control areas within the same communities,. Youll also have to take care that your children dont stay in the sun fortoo long. Almendares had repeatedly received death threats since 2017 in relation to his reporting. Honduras isnt a gay-friendly country, however, there are some movements that are going in the right direction. In July, police arrested two men in connection to the 2020 killings of 45 TV reporter Germn Vallecillo Jr. and his cameraman, Jorge Posas, in La Ceiba. People do it. However, whilst its quite dangerous, the government is promoting tourism in Honduras. You should ask locals on the best routes to take to any given place. Every year, more than 100,000 Hondurans are internally displaced, migrate, seek protection abroad, or are deported back to Honduras. But traveling there is possible, of course. Living in Honduras means youll have to adjust your life to the way of life here. They are taxed by gangs. A 25-year-old migrant who posed as a minor to illegally cross the border was sentenced to 60 years for killing the father of four who took him in. Thepublic busesconsist ofthe good oldchicken bus. 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. Gang violence is widespread in and around urban areas. In 2013, Honduras reformed the penal code to recognize femicide as a crime. The Newton Police Department has arrested three escaped inmates from Scott County, according to Newton police chief, Randy Patrick. These. 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. One good thing I can say about Roatan is that the dive sites are excellent around the island. The US is losing allies in Latin America just as production of cocaine, fentanyl, and other synthetic drugs is going through the roof. Chances are, if you are arriving via a cruise ship, you will be safe. Honduras newspaper, TV channel news, online portal news, and magazine sites are getting popularity day by day around the world. Investigating organized crime is an expensive and often risky enterprise. Radio taxisare always a better option than hailing one off the street. 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. Read about how e-Sims work or click below to see one of the top eSIM providers on the market andditch the plastic. Just 18 percent of Hondurans have internet access in their homes and a quarter of homes in rural areas dont have electricity. "Today at dawn, in a single operation, we transferred the first 2,000 gang . Traveling here is definitely adventurous, but that doesnt mean its off-limits for solo travelers. 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. So how do they do it?. So long as violence in Honduras continues without impunity, major displacement will persist in 2022. It included provisions that appeared aimed at reducing penalties for politicians linked to organized crime, by lowering sentences for corruption and related offenses. Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. Please donate. They offer simple & flexible travel insurance, and safety advice to help you travel confidently. But the removal of military officers from an anti-gang taskforce resulted in a messy divorce that temporarily reduced the units already limited capacity opening a window for criminals and before the community policing model could have any effect, the political pressure to take decisive action against extortion boiled over. The state of emergency, in place You basically pay for safety, but better safe than sorry wed say. Its just better to have a local driver drive you around. With all the threats of violence, theres alow number of tourists, so oddly you can really have anauthentic experiencehere while getting to know Honduran women, too. The inmates, all from Honduras, had reportedly escaped custody yesterday in Scott County. I believe that [Bukeles] leadership is increasing, because the tendency of the Bukele government is to become Central American, and to exercise leadership in all of Central America, said Moreno.