Uniforms and vehicles are all clearly marked. drivers licenses, vehicle registration). Review OSACs report, Security In Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. Learn about employment opportunities across the UNSDG. Honduras removed the offense of sex tourism from its amended penal code, and the government did not investigate or prosecute any suspected trafficking cases in the tourism sector. First Lady Ana Garcia de Hernandezs Migration Task Force continued to coordinate a whole-of-government approach to informing Hondurans about the dangers of irregular migration, including trafficking risks, and the government continued public awareness campaigns warning of trafficking risks along migratory routes through Guatemala and Mexico. Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking, is widespread. Union leaders and labor activists in both the public and private sector face harassment, dismissal, and violence for their activities. Armed robberies, burglaries, vandalization, home invasions, and extortions occur; closely guarded officials, businesspersons, and diplomats are not immune. 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. January 26, 2022 At a glance Population: 10.1 million 2.8 million people in need of humanitarian aid Latest News Profile Criminal Actors Investigations News Latest News Regional advisory - Avoid non-essential travel. In January 2012, the Peace Corps suspended its program in Honduras in order to review the safety and security of its volunteers. 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. Counterfeit medicines are available in pulperas (private home-operated convenience stores), but have also been reported in Farmacias del Ahorro. Indigenous and ethnic minority communities are frequently located in rural areas, which enjoy lower levels of criminal activity. Honduras is far more deadly than even the most violent U.S. cities. Air pollution can aggravate or lead to respiratory problems during the dry season due to widespread forest fires and agricultural burning. However, with respect to sex trafficking, these penalties were not commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape. Honduran police generally do not speak English. "I am a survivor of domestic violence and I am lucky to be alive," said Rosa Maria Perez at the launch of the campaign. 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. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. The U.S. Embassy estimates at least 30,000 U.S. citizens reside in Honduras. Travelers should be aware, however, that the assistance the Embassy can provide is limited to making sure U.S. citizens are not treated differently from local detainees and providing them with a list of local attorneys. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights, and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people.. The rainy season usually runs May-November. the Copan Mayan ruins and Roatn). The government is implementing similar programs for other locations (e.g. You are responsible for ensuring that you meet and comply with foreign entry requirements, health requirements and that you possess the appropriate travel documents. However, visitors have reported being robbed while walking on isolated beaches. 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. It is urgent to pass the law on safe houses where women who manage to get away from violent situations are taken care of. These deaths included several in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba involving U.S. citizens murdered shortly after arriving in the country. In past years, several U.S. citizens have been murdered in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba shortly after arriving in the country. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: a. CICESCT maintained a public website and launched social media accounts to share information on human trafficking with the public. However, the government lacked formal procedures for identifying victims among children apprehended for gang-related criminal activity. Crime in Honduras in 2012, according to the U.N., Honduras experienced. U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa Avenida La Paz, Tegucigalpa Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday, 0730-1630; Friday, 0800-1500 Tel: +504-2236-9320; After Hours: +504-2236-8497 Website: http://hn.usembassy.gov Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/embajadahonduras/, U.S. Consular Agency San Pedro Sula Banco Atlntida Building, 11th Floor, across the street from Central Park, San Pedro Sula Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday, 1200-1600 Tel: +504-2558-1580 Website: https://hn.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/spsca/. Only sealed commercial water containers (bottles) are considered safe to drink. Historically, corruption has been pervasive in government procurement, issuance of government permits, customs, real estate transactions (particularly land title transfers), performance requirements, and the regulatory system. We have provided a few examples below that you can copy and paste to your site: Your image export is now complete. The government initially allocated 8.93 million lempiras ($357,150) to CICESCT but later decreased its actual disbursement to 6.18 million lempiras ($247,020) due to pandemic-related funds redistribution and budget cuts. Safety in El Salvador. The government maintained prosecution efforts. A large number of media have distorted the populations perception on violence against women by informing about it in a way that makes it seems as if these are isolated cases, when the reality is that this is an endemic issue in the Honduran society. Resolution of disputes in court often takes years. 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. Most demonstrations were concentrated in or around city centers, public buildings, and other public areas. The government also enacted a new penal code provision that brought the definition of trafficking in line with the definition under international law. 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. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) Global AIDS Coordinator and Global Health Diplomacy, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Special Representative for Syria Engagement, U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Office of the U.S. The government places specially trained police forces in areas tourists frequent (e.g. Armed men have forced vehicles transporting tourists off the road and robbed the victims, occasionally assaulting the driver or passengers. The juvenile penal system issued a sentence of six months house arrest for one convicted trafficker who was a child. Our message is that we shouldnt leave womens and feminist institutions that fight to eradicate violence against women alone [on their mission], said Ana Cruz of Asociacin Calidad de Vida, an anti-violence organization. The UNSDG has a strengthened coordination system that works at a country, regional and global level. Embassy employees and others have experienced skimming at well- known restaurants, hotels, and retailers. Ocean via the Gulf of Fonseca in the Caribbean and access to the local police and property crime 1. Widespread poverty and unemployment, along with significant street gang and drug trafficking activity, have contributed to the extremely high crime rate. Instruct the driver not to pick up other passengers, agree on the fare before you depart, and have small bills available for payment, as taxi drivers often do not make change. In accordance with the governments intersectoral protocol on victim protection, CICESCT coordinated with relevant government institutions and NGOs to provide additional services to victims, including mental health counseling, legal services, medical care, lodging, food, family reintegration, and repatriation. 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. They practice "war taxing", which is essentially just demanding money from people. Government agencies, including CICESCT, its local committees, the Public Ministry, the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Supreme Court of Justice, and the Secretariat of Education, provided anti-trafficking trainings to police, lawyers, judges, other government officials, tourism professionals, civil society organizations, teachers, and members of the public throughout the country; due to the pandemic, the government conducted the majority of trainings virtually, which allowed them to reach more stakeholders and decrease costs. An NGO noted courts continued to delay trafficking cases despite a requirement in the anti-trafficking law to process such cases in a timely manner, an issue further exacerbated by the pandemic. CICESCT sustained its efforts to provide immediate protection to victims and coordinate additional services among other stakeholders without interruption throughout the pandemic. As a result, criminals operate with a high degree of impunity. Fire Department Ambulance is fully equipped with emergency medical supplies and medical staff. The rate of young people killing other young people is down to two main gangs : Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18. A woman is likely to be killed every 36 hours in this country. If you use our chart images on your site or blog, we ask that you provide attribution via a link back to this page. There have also been cases of police harassment of patrons in LGBTI+ nightclubs. The U.S. Embassy strongly discourages intercity car and bus travel after dark. The San Pedro Sula area has seen armed robberies against tourist vans, minibuses, and cars traveling from the airport to area hotels. 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. Medical care is limited. Counterfeit Honduran lempiras (currency) are common, especially in the 100 and 500 denominations. The government provided 31 victims with witness protection services including measures to protect their identity; shelter; and economic, medical and psychosocial assistance. Read more about the coordinated response to COVID-19. Individuals should also limit the sharing of personal information and closely screen personal employees. 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). By comparison, the United States has a global safety ranking of 128. Major cities (e.g. The government reported investigating 82 cases of suspected sex trafficking and related crimes in 2020, compared with 91 suspected cases investigated in 2019 and 145 in 2018. Backlinks from other websites and blogs are the lifeblood of our site and are our primary source of new traffic. 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. The government did not report penalizing any employment agencies for fraudulent recruitment practices or charging recruitment fees to workers. The Government of Honduras does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. Gangs control some of the taxi services. 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. 2018 toyota rav4 pros and cons. 0. The government reported 41 calls to the CICESCT hotline led to 22 potential cases referred for investigation. This report of the Central America Monitor aims to define a baseline for the indicators related to reducing violence and combatting organized crime in Honduras. Compare Roatan with: . 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. Law enforcement, immigration, and social service providers had written procedures for identifying and assisting victims, including screening for indicators of trafficking among vulnerable populations and referring potential victims to CICESCTs immediate response team. Since 1995, 115 U.S. citizens were reported murdered in Honduras; of these, just 32 cases have been resolved. Assaults in these areas may be based on tips from sources at airport arrival areas, so visitors are strongly urged to exercise caution in discussing travel plans in public. The UNSDG guides, supports, tracks and oversees the coordination of development operations in 162 countries and territories. "Indeed, women are the affected ones, but as men, we have a greater opportunity to influence other men and make them reflect on how we impact our sisters, friends and colleagues with our behaviour. Vehicles often drive at night without adequate lighting. The government has a police investigative unit dedicated to investigating violent crimes against the LGBTI+ and other vulnerable communities, composed of Public Ministry prosecutors, members of ATIC (prosecutors investigative agency), and the Honduran National Police; however, it has limited resources and functions primarily in the major urban areas. Children living on the streets are at risk for sex and labor trafficking. I was housebound. A study conducted by the Spotlight Initiative and civil society partnersincluding the University Institute for Democracy, Peace and Security (IUDPAS) of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) and the communications company Sienprovided data on howmedia messages about violence against womenareframedin the news. "I think it is important that young people, and particularly men, raise awareness about this type of violence," added Daniel Vijil, from the youth institution El Milenio. The Secretariat of Labor and Social Security (STSS) monitored and regulated compliance with labor laws and policies that could decrease workers vulnerability to trafficking, including those regulating private employment agencies and establishing protections for vulnerable classes of workers such as domestic workers, seafarers, and temporary workers in Canada; however, the government did not provide details on enforcement. Gangs are not reluctant to use violence, and specialize in murder-for-hire, carjacking, extortion, and other violent street crime. There are claims of widespread corruption in land sales, deed filing, and dispute resolution, including claims against attorneys, real estate companies, judges, and local officials. Roatn and the Bay Islands are geographically separate from the mainland and experience lower crime rates even when compared with other Caribbean islands. Thefts, break-ins, assaults, rapes, and murders do occur. Kidnappings declined by 82% since 2013, from 92 in 2013 to 14 in 2018, and 12 in 2019. We have also confirmed reports of armed robbers traveling in private cars targeting pedestrians on isolated streets. The government convicted 14 traffickers, including 10 for sex trafficking, two for forced labor, and two for both sex trafficking and forced labor, compared with 34 traffickers convicted in 2019 (33 for sex trafficking/procuring commercial sex acts and one for forced labor) and 16 traffickers (including six for procuring commercial sex acts) convicted in 2018. The government has also begun implementing a series of police reforms; it has formed groups such as the National Inter-Agency Security Task Force (FUSINA) and the National Anti-Gang Task Force (FNAMP) to combat crime. However, Honduran law enforcement authorities ability to prevent, respond to, and investigate criminal incidents and prosecute criminals is limited. Organized criminal groups, including local and transnational gangs and narcotics traffickers, were significant perpetrators of violent crimes and committed acts of homicide, torture, kidnapping, extortion, human trafficking, intimidation, and other threats and violence directed against human rights defenders, judicial authorities, lawyers, Honduras's most dangerous cities or towns: Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba, El Progreso, El Paraso at Copn, Tocoa, Olancho, La Lima, Puerto Corts. Members of the LGBTI+ community have reported violent assaults because of gender identity and sexual orientation. Review OSACs reports, Road Safety Abroad, Driving Overseas: Best Practices, and Evasive Driving Techniques; and read the State Departments webpage on driving and road safety abroad. A review of crime statistics from the Honduran national police shows that violent crimes are more prevalent in the Departments of Francisco Morazn and Corts. Visitors can send general inquiries to the communications team. For more in-depth information, review OSACs Honduras country page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. While the risk from crime in Honduras remains a concern, most U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Honduras are unaffected by violence and visit for tourism or humanitarian aid work without incident. My decision was to die." During 2019, multiple vehicles belonging to U.S. and Honduran employees of the U.S. Embassy were burglarized and/or vandalized on side streets around the Embassy compound. The pandemic, as well as Hurricanes Eta and Iota, negatively affected economic opportunity and furthered inequality, resulting in an increased number of individuals vulnerable to trafficking. Caption: UN Resident Coordinator in Honduras, Alice Shackelford meets with survivors at a local safe house. The police generally treat detained foreigners well. 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. Red Cross ambulance: 911, (504) 2227-7474 or (504) 2227-7575. Overall corruption helped facilitate trafficking crimes. There have been frequent incidents of carjacking and highway robbery on a number of roads including the main highway (CA-5) between San Pedro Sula and Siguatepeque, with the greatest risk between Potrerillos and Pito Solo in the lake area.