During the presentation of these findings, Alice Shackelford called for "changing the narrative and expressing our intolerance towards this type of violence". Honduras's prison population has doubled over the past decade, partly due to a 2013 reform that greatly expanded the use of mandatory pre-trial detention. You travel at your own risk and no warranties or guarantees are provided by us. The government lacks resources to investigate and prosecute cases; police often lack vehicles/fuel to respond to calls for assistance. Honduran police generally do not speak English. This team continued to operate during the pandemic despite restrictions on movement and inadequate funding for personal protective equipment. Most often, pickpocketing and theft of bags and wallets occur here. Officials in the Returned Migrant Assistance Center conducted evaluations of returned Hondurans and referred suspected trafficking cases to CICESCT; however, screening for trafficking indicators was not systematic among returned migrants, and the government did not report whether these efforts resulted in identification of any victims during the year. The Honduran government is modernizing some of the main transportation road networks to four-lane highways, which can lead to increased travel times because of ongoing construction. The UNSDG has a strengthened coordination system that works at a country, regional and global level. Honduras remains deeply polarised. U.S. organizations and citizens report corruption in the public sector and the judiciary is a significant constraint to investment in Honduras. DOS: Northern Triangle Country Conditions: Ranking the Highest and Lowest Areas of Reported, Homicides, Disappearances, and Extortion - May 2019. It is also recommended that drivers vary their routes and schedules so as to not create a predictable routine. Caption: UN Resident Coordinator in Honduras, Alice Shackelford meets with survivors at a local safe house. Air pollution can aggravate or lead to respiratory problems during the dry season due to widespread forest fires and agricultural burning. Limited inspections could facilitate movements of terrorists. Always carry a mobile phone in case of emergency. If you use our chart images on your site or blog, we ask that you provide attribution via a link back to this page. The government maintained prevention efforts. Reach the local police anywhere in Honduras by dialing 911. There is street crime even in gated communities commonly referred to locally as Barrio Seguros; these are generally safer areas in which to reside because of their heightened security measures. CICESCT maintained a public website and launched social media accounts to share information on human trafficking with the public. Counterfeit medicines are available in pulperas (private home-operated convenience stores), but have also been reported in Farmacias del Ahorro. Criminals expanded the use of social network platforms to recruit victims, often with false promises of employment, and continued to target vulnerable populations. Nine significant tropical storms/hurricanes since 1995 have affected Honduras. The following day, protesters started a fire outside of one of the U.S. Embassys entrances during demonstrations against public-sector reforms in the country. In October 2019, a thief stole the side view mirrors from a U.S. employees personally owned vehicle while it was parked on a side street near the Embassy. Develop and implement standardized procedures for victim identification and referral, including screening for indicators of forced criminal activity among children involved in gang-related crimes. The Basilica of Suyapa in Tegucigalpa, also known as Suyapa Church or Cathedral, is an important religious site and popular tourist destination. The new amendments to the penal code lowered the penalties for trafficking crimes, resulting in penalties that were not commensurate with those prescribed for other grave crimes, such as rape. Natalia Lozano is a Honduran lawyer, working in the fields of human, women's, LGBT, and youth rights as the Honduran National Coordinator of Right Here Right Now. Although its specialists occasionally cannot provide the U.S. standard of care, the hospital and diagnostic departments do have the capability to provide most medical procedures. Meanwhile, 59% reported having been assaulted at least once while a passenger in a taxi (Colectivo and Rolatero) in the past 12 months, 32% twice, 6% three times, and 3% more than three times. Visitors can send general inquiries to the communications team. Intentional homicides are estimates of unlawful homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. As a result of this study, UN Women will be organizing trainings for media outlets on objective and respectful journalism in these types of subjects. My decision was to die." Most crime victims are members of rival gangs, small business owners who resist gang extortion, passengers on public transportation, or those involved in land tenure disputes. U.S. citizens have been the victims of a wide range of crimes, including murder, kidnapping, rape, assault, and property crimes. Driving in Honduras can be dangerous. Review OSACs report, Surviving a Protest. Chicago, for example, has a per capita murder rate of 24 per 100,000. Caption: Ana Cruz of Asociacin Calidad de Vida, an anti-violence organization. Article 219 of the Honduran penal code, which came into effect in June 2020, criminalized sex and labor trafficking and prescribed penalties of five to eight years imprisonment. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2018 was 38.93, a 5.01% decline from 2017. Please check your download folder. In 2013, Honduras had the highest rate of violent deaths of women in the world. Coordinator for the Arctic Region, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Office of International Religious Freedom, Office of the Special Envoy To Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of the Science and Technology Adviser, Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, Bureau of Information Resource Management, Office of Management Strategy and Solutions, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. The U.S. Embassy has restricted U.S. government personnel travel to the Gracias a Dios Department in eastern Honduras because of credible threat information against U.S citizens. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Honduras. Credit card skimming is common. In 2019, there was one murder case involving a resident U.S. citizen in Roatn. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Level of crime: 66.67: High: Crime increasing in the past 3 years: 78.57: . 4-Minute Listen Playlist Download Transcript NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with veteran journalist Carlos Dada, founder of El Faro newspaper, about his latest reporting from Honduras. It provided a family, a sense of belonging. The government is implementing similar programs for other locations (e.g. In November 2019, Tegucigalpa authorities began developing a luxury housing project in the La Tigra bioreserve, just outside of the city. the Copan Mayan ruins and Roatn). Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2020 was 36.33, a 13.52% decline from 2019. This amount was an increase from 5.53 million lempiras ($221,400) provided in 2019, though officials reported they lacked adequate financial and human resources to provide comprehensive victim care, support victims throughout the country, and collect and analyze victim data. Resolution of disputes in court often takes years. Local police and emergency services lack sufficient resources to respond effectively to serious crime. . Copan, Roatan/Bay Islands, and other tourist destinations have lower crime rates than other parts of the country. Criminals sometimes obtain personal information through social media, the internet, or a victims family member. While many protests remain relatively peaceful, demonstrations can escalate into violent confrontations with the police resulting in destruction to public and private property. Total Exports. The main problems are related to corruption, robbery, and vandalism. Following anticorruption protests in 2015, President Hernandez signed an agreement with the Organization of American States to form the Mission Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH). Crime Information for Tourists in Ecuador Crime is a severe problem in Ecuador. Even when traffic signals are working, drivers often ignore them. Major cities (e.g. The Honduras Country Council generally meets monthly on a rotating basis in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula and has approximately 70 members. The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tegucigalpa as being a LOW-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Increase efforts to identify victims, including among particularly vulnerable populations such as adult migrants, and provide assistance to all victims, including forced labor victims. Among the 45 Cuban medical professionals the government contracted to assist during the pandemic, some may have been forced to work by the Cuban government. Kidnappings declined by 82% since 2013, from 92 in 2013 to 14 in 2018, and 12 in 2019. Honduras sees 318 cases of femicide in 2021: Report At least 19 women murdered since beginning of 2022, says Honduras Center for Women's Studies Sinan Doan | 27.01.2022 The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this reports publication assesses Honduras at Level 3, indicating travelers should reconsider travel due to crime. There have been multiple incidents of gang members destroying city buses and taxis, and reports that gang members rob, assault, rape, kidnap, or murder passengers. Ocean via the Gulf of Fonseca in the Caribbean and access to the local police and property crime 1. However, the government lacked formal procedures for identifying victims among children apprehended for gang-related criminal activity. There are an estimated 7,000-10,000 gang members in a country with an approximate population of ten million people. Crime Information for Tourists in Honduras Crime is widespread in Honduras and requires a high degree of caution by U.S. visitors and residents alike. As a result of Honduran government efforts in close cooperation with the United States, homicide rates have fallen from 86.0 per 100,000 residents in 2012 to 43.6 per 100,000 at the end of 2019. Young males working in pairs, often riding motorcycles, are perpetrating many of the armed robberies in Honduras urban areas. Red Cross ambulance: 911, (504) 2227-7474 or (504) 2227-7575. The San Pedro Sula area has seen armed robberies against tourist vans, minibuses, and cars traveling from the airport to area hotels, and there have also been armed robberies along the road to Copan. During the pandemic, violence cases against women increased significantly; the number of emergency calls rose to 282 per day. U.S. citizens have been the victims of a wide range of crimes, including murder, kidnapping, rape, assault, and property crimes. Crime in Honduras in 2012, according to the U.N., Honduras experienced. The Inescapable Prison of Barrio 18 in Honduras BARRIO 18 / 17 JAN 2023 To Desafio, the Barrio 18 gang in Honduras was everything. Counterfeit U.S. currency is also common. Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. Passengers on public buses have been the victims of robbery at roadblocks and bus stops, during daytime and nighttime hours. Head of Police Gustavo Snchez 7 Feb said state of emergency, first imposed in Dec 2022 to tackle extortion, had reduced average number of homicides per day from nine in 2022 to seven so far in 2023. . As a result, there is no longer free travel between Honduras and Nicaragua. There have also been cases of police harassment of patrons in LGBTI+ nightclubs. In 2011, a Canadian citizen was killed in a similar incident. Cruise lines and port agencies offer approved tour companies offering packages. Due to the remote nature of these areas, the governments ability to respond to violence or other problems is often very limited, as is access to medical facilities. UNODC collects data on crime and the operation of criminal justice systems in order to make policy-relevant information and analysis available in a timely manner to the international community. Fire Department Ambulance is fully equipped with emergency medical supplies and medical staff. Officials flew Garza, a 48-year-old . According to the UNDP report on Honduras, in 2020, the primary school enrollment rate reached 92%. Do not buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. The law on safe houses needs to be passed! AUDIE CORNISH,. Information provided is subject to change without notice. Three U.S. citizens were reported murdered in Honduras between January and September 2013. The government maintained a specialized anti-trafficking prosecution unit, but experts observed the unit remained understaffed and lacked sufficient resources to investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes. The law on safe houses, which has been stalled in the National Congress since 2018, aims to recognize and fund safe houses to provide care for survivors of multiple forms of violence, ensuring their wellbeing and that of their families. Copyright 2023 United Nations Sustainable Development Group. Useful Information. Roatn and the Bay Islands are geographically separate from the mainland and experience lower crime rates even when compared with other Caribbean islands. The governments disaggregated victim data included some victims of related crimes such as child pornography; all identified victims were Honduran citizens and included 43 children and 24 adults, 56 females and 10 males, and one LGBTQI+ individual. Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha. Cruise ship passengers should take safety precautions, avoid unfamiliar areas, and book only with reputable tour companies during their stopover in Honduras. Gracias a Dios is a remote location where narcotics trafficking is frequent, infrastructure is weak, government services are limited, and police/military presence is scarce. Detained U.S. citizens should insist on speaking to U.S. Embassy representatives as soon as possible. Violent crime is a serious issue in the entire country, with crimes such as kidnappings, rape, assaults, and murders. Traffic signs, even on major highways, are often inadequate; streets are often unmarked even in major cities. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law and be subject to local penalties. Honduras has a long history of sustaining damage due to powerful tropical storms and hurricanes. The CA-4 agreement among El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras allows for the inspection-free movement of citizens among these countries, reducing overall inspection at land crossings. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2019 was 42.01, a 7.91% increase from 2018. Other Honduran government agencies also provided funds from their budgets for victim assistance. Review the State Departments webpage on security for travelers with disabilities. The U.S. Embassy strongly discourages intercity car and bus travel after dark. Review OSACs report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. This is a common practice for most automobile accidents where personal injury occurs, and for cases in which someone is accused of a criminal act. Although the trend has decreased as of 2014, Home. Since 2010, there have been approximately 60 murders of U.S. citizens reported in Honduras. Armed robbery is a common problem, with armed bandits attacking minibusses and vans loaded with tourists traveling from the airport to their hotels in San Pedro Sula. Emergency services, even in Tegucigalpa, generally are basic. According to the Honduran National Police, there were 12 kidnappings reported nationwide during 2019. The CDC offers additional information on vaccines and health guidance for Honduras. Review the State Departments webpage on security for LGBTI+ travelers. Garza is wanted in Honduras for homicide. UNODC works on the development of standards for national crime and criminal justice information systems and for the conduct of victimization surveys. Explore and easily find UNSDG publications. Received a complaint about honduras crime and safety report 2021 at Pioneer Park with murder November 2017 shorter! The campaign and its different audiovisual assets have been broadcasted by over 15 media outlets nationwide and free of charge, including the country's most-watched TV network. CountryReports 1997 - 2023 - All Rights Reserved. Avoid traveling at night and always drive with doors locked and windows rolled up to deter potential robberies at traffic lights and on congested downtown streets. We have also confirmed reports of armed robbers traveling in private cars targeting pedestrians on isolated streets. The women who have lost their lives violently this year are women who can no longer contribute to the economy and development of Honduras", she regretted. U.S. citizens are encouraged to be vigilant of their surroundings at all times, especially when entering or exiting their homes, cars, garages, schools, and workplaces.