This isnt one for first-time backpackers. It may not exactly be classed as safe, but Honduras shouldnt be ignored. We are on the frontlines providing critical aid to crisis-affected people in more than 40 countries, including places on the 2022 Emergency Watchlist. It is important to know that Utila is very much a developed backpacker hotspot. You can also visit the island through a guided tour, which will add another layer of safety to your trip. 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. Theres a huge problem with single-use plastics in the Earths water and you dont have any assurance whatsoever that your bottles will be properly disposed of, even if youre careful to sort them in the proper bin. 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. A large chunk of thosearrived via cruise ships, however. And taxi driversprobably wont have enough change to cover a big bill, socarry small denominations. This rule especially goes at night. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File Photo. Especiallythrough a tour company. There are probably more sketchy areas in Honduras than there are safe ones. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. Some victims of extortion said that the only thing that has changed is how the money is collected. 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. As of September 2020, the US had yet to begin deporting any third country nationals to Honduras under the agreement. FILE PHOTO: Police raid a house after Honduras' President Xiomara Castro (not pictured) mobilised . In November 2020, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights heard the case of Vicky Hernndez, a trans woman allegedly extrajudicially executed in 2009. They offer simple & flexible travel insurance, and safety advice to help you travel confidently. There have been protests due tocontested election results in late 2017. We travel with a filter bottle, the GRAYL GEOPRESS or we just boil the water for a few minutes and store in a refillable water bottle. It also documented widespread mistreatment of people detained and arrested during the protests. Womenand girls who terminate pregnancies face prison sentences of up to six years. The men remained missing at time of writing. 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. Youll need to be a confident traveler. Xiomara Castros crackdown on gangs is also an attempt to counter allegations the government hasnt done enough to combat crime. 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. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. After a 2019 wave of gang violence that killed 37 detainees, President Hernndez declared a state of emergency and put prisons under military control. On 24 November, Hondurass leftwing president, Xiomara Castro, declared war on extortion a very real problem that causes economic stagnation, fuels violence and forces countless Hondurans to flee the country. Roatan is the more developed, more expensive, and family friendly big brother of Utila. 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. An illegal immigrant from Honduras was sentenced to 60 years in prison Friday for the killing of a Florida man in Jacksonville in 2021, prosecutors said. This new donation is in addition to the 81,900 doses of Pfizer . Youre connected. 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. 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. In Honduras, the types of danger include, but are not limited to, violent gang activity, trafficking, rape, street crime and armed robbery. This has a pretty good expat community too. Her words echo those of Bukele, who has railed against human rights groups, government watchdogs and journalists who have questioned his tactics, saying that they are on the side of the gangs. Heres how to not get ill whilst trying local delights. Gangs kill, disappear, rape, or displace those who resist. So backpacking Honduras isnt always just a breeze. Impunity for human rights abuses, violent crime, and corruption remains the norm, even as the prison population has mushroomed. 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. It has experienced one of the world's highest homicide rates, with multiple forms of violence linked to drug trafficking groups. The government has set up roadblocks, deployed security forces, and used violence to prevent people from leaving the country. That measure has proved popular among the public in El Salvador, and has resulted in the arrest of more than 56,000 people for alleged gang ties. Dont hitchhike ortake lifts from strangers , Other ways to meet fellow travelers and. His security-at-all costs approach, and the reductions in violence and crime that have come with it, have found a captive audience in Honduras, but caused consternation among civil society, and closed down discussion of other options. Between December 2019, when prisons were placed under military control, and September 2020, 54 people died in eight prison incidents, the IACHR and OHCHR report. generally, if youre visiting with a guided tour, you should be fine. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time can seriously get you in trouble. Activistssaythegovernments Mechanism for the Protection of Journalists, Human Rights Defenders and Operators of Justice, created in 2015, lacks uniform criteria and is ineffective. Gangs attacking other gangs. In April, the office expressed concern regarding accusations of excesive use of force by state security agents enforcing the governments Covid-19 restrictions. See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution and Travel Advisories. We get it. Suddenly you find yourself surrounded by backpackers, dive shops, hostels, burger shacks, smoothie stands, and pirate bars. 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. It submitted the case to the court in April 2019 due to Honduras lack of compliance with its recommendations, such as introducing comprehensive policies to map and prevent anti-LGBT violence and designing training programs on anti-LGBT violence for state security bodies. We are going to eradicate extortion in every corner of our country.. The measure must still be approved by Congress. We then verify, write and edit, providing the tools to generate real impact. This is apretty safe area to visit. Not really. Country Summary: Violent crime, such as homicide and armed robbery, is common. We are going to be covering a whole lot of topics in this epic Honduras safety guide. La Ceibaon the northern coast, with mountains, jungles, and beaches, is a chilled and adventurous area to explore. And if youre visiting as part of a tour, then youre likely to stay safe. Women, children and the LGBTQ+ community are the ones most affected and we have seen the demand for services skyrocket It is essential to address the root causes of forced migration, a strategy that the current U.S. administration is adopting. 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 . 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. In Honduras, one of the most violent countries in the world, 60 percent of deaths are attributed to organized crime. 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. It is honestly NOT safe to drink the water in Honduras. Please donate. But it has not yet resulted in an increase in police reports a key measure of public trust. Chronic violence, climate crisis and the impacts of COVID-19 have deepened humanitarian needs and driven displacement. So whilst its gettingsafer, its a slow process. In El Salvador, a Thin Line Between Community Policing and Vigilantism. The Covid-19 pandemic has further limited access to education for many children. Indeed, Honduras is seeing a plague of femicidesa woman is murdered every 36 hours, mostly by an intimate partner. But Honduras is far from Eden. Utila is unlike the rest of mainland Honduras in just about every way. ; Children and Adolescents - Honduras has the highest youth homicide rate in the world. This is essentially anunsafecountry. 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. Planning a safe trip to Honduras can get quite overwhelming. However, More than2 million touristsvisited in 2017. (Insider Tips), https://www.facebook.com/gratefulgypsies/, https://www.instagram.com/gratefulgypsies/, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn5T0r4o5KV4qoyQyR7Buww, https://www.pinterest.com/gratefulgypsies/, Traveller, teacher, writer, and bonafide music lover, Rachel Lee is a Tennessee-born human with a passion for movement. Women in Honduras face high levels of gender-based violence. 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. Sat Navs might not always tell you the best route. Honduras has freed dozens of individuals tied to organized crime a year after reforming its money laundering law. Lanza said that 50 drivers have been killed so far in 2022, and a total of 2,500 have been killed over the last 15 years. Read about how e-Sims work or click below to see one of the top eSIM providers on the market andditch the plastic. Honduran soldiers wearing facemasks guard the entrance to the city of San Pedro Sula during the coronavirus crisis on April 17, 2020. Its also a nice place since the ferry toUtilaruns from here, making it easy to escape to the tropical paradise of theBay Islandswhenever you feel like it. This year a crew member of a cruise ship was murdered on Roatan and that combined with the mainland of the country being used by cartels as part of the drug pipeline to the U.S., plus the current immigration crisis on the U.S. border all together add up to bad press for the country of Honduras. However, whilst its quite dangerous, the government is promoting tourism in Honduras. Along with Honduras, the IRC also identified Haiti and Venezuela as the countries most at risk of experiencing deteriorating humanitarian crises in 2022 in Latin America and the Caribbean. Of course, being a woman anywhere is going to come with additional risk. Whilst many people DO live here, it doesnt mean Honduras is safe to live. The government bans emergency contraception, known as the morningafter pill, which can prevent pregnancy after rape, unprotected sex, or contraceptive failure. 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. Access to health care services was a concern in Honduras prior to the pandemic, particularly for rural and economically marginalized communities. Living in Honduras means youll have to adjust your life to the way of life here. 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. Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere. Many women are choosing to flee the violence in their communities. There are some safety pointsthat travelers should know for anywhere they travel, but Honduras requires these special considerations. 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. Every 18 hours, a woman is a victim of a violent death. There are definitely a fair few pros to solo travel. The question of Is Honduras Safe? will ALWAYS have a different answer depending on the parties involved. We strive to provide the most relevant travel information on the web and always appreciate input from our readers (nicely, please!). Please support our mission investigating organized crime. Taxis areall over the placein Honduras.