The Honduran National Police wear blue uniforms, while the PMOP normally wear green camouflage. 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. Red Cross ambulance: 911, (504) 2227-7474 or (504) 2227-7575. UNODC works on the development of standards for national crime and criminal justice information systems and for the conduct of victimization surveys. The campaign includes a docuseries in which the testimonies of women survivors, like Rosa Mara, are central to raise awareness among the Honduran population on zero tolerance of all forms ofviolenceagainstwomenand girls. Murders are easy to commit because most of Honduras' population is armed. 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. The government did not provide an update on its investigation of alleged sexual exploitation of a female prisoner in a correctional facility from the previous year. Story written by Maria ElenaClix, Communications and Advocacy Officer at the Office of the Resident Coordinator in Honduras. Caption: Honduras has the highest femicide rates in Latin America. Corruption and official complicity in trafficking crimes remained significant concerns, inhibiting law enforcement action during the year. Earlier. Total Exports. Last update: October 2022. U.S. citizens have been the victims of a wide range of crimes, including murder, kidnapping, rape, assault, and property crimes. honduras crime and safety report 2022. To find out more about the results of our work in this area and in others, read the UNSDG Chair's report on the Office for Development Coordination. The government maintained strong protection efforts, with CICESCTs immediate response team providing robust assistance to victims throughout the year. Review OSACs reports, Cybersecurity Basics, Best Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling with Mobile Devices: Trends & Best Practices, and Satellite Phones: Critical or Contraband? Members of the LGBTI+ community have reported violent assaults because of gender identity and sexual orientation. Choose taxis carefully, and note the drivers name and license number. Honduras 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Report. Uniforms and vehicles are all clearly marked. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba) have homicide rates higher than the national average, as do several Honduran departments (a geographic designation like U.S. States), including Atlntida, Coln, Corts, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, and Yoro. When possible, travel in groups. Weapons abound in Honduras, and armed street robberies are especially common, with criminals taking advantage of relatively isolated victims to steal their valuables. However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas. In November 2019, Tegucigalpa authorities began developing a luxury housing project in the La Tigra bioreserve, just outside of the city. 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. One should confirm content prior to traveling from other reliable sources. 1. . 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. International non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and USAID implementing partners have reported threats and violence when visiting some rural communities. 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. 0. Contact OSACs Latin America team with any questions or to join. Useful Information. Fire Department Ambulance is fully equipped with emergency medical supplies and medical staff. This resulted in multiple protests by environmentalist groups claiming the project is illegal due to the damage to the bioreserve and exacerbating the citys already dire water shortage. Honduran law prohibited the prosecution of victims for unlawful acts traffickers compelled them to commit. Is Honduras Safe to Travel Alone Traveling solo is becoming more popular and within Latin America, more people including myself have set out to travel alone. Visas - Most countries do not need a visa in order to enter Honduras for any stays shorter than 30 days.Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months past your date of arrival. Backlinks from other websites and blogs are the lifeblood of our site and are our primary source of new traffic. The government reported 41 calls to the CICESCT hotline led to 22 potential cases referred for investigation. In June, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights found that Honduras had violated the rights to life and personal integrity of Vicky Hernndez, a transgender woman, sex worker and activist killed during the 2009 coup. 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. Anyone with information is strongly encouraged to report the matter. Driving in Honduras can be dangerous. The government did not make efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts. Officials from several ministries conducted additional trainings and awareness-raising activities with support from NGOs and international organizations. El Salvador used to have a high crime rate, but that is not the case anymore. Honduras requires proof of Yellow Fever immunization if coming from another country endemic with Yellow Fever. Safety in El Salvador. My decision was to die." According to the Global Peace Index, the island of Roatan, as a part of Honduras, shares its ranking of 123 out of 163 countries analyzed. 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. "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. While there are no areas in major urban cities free of violent crime, notably dangerous locations in Tegucigalpa include the areas surrounding Suyapa Cathedral, downtown Comayagela, downtown Tegucigalpa, and neighborhoods in the outskirts of the city that are generally controlled by gangs. 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. In 2013, Honduras had the highest rate of violent deaths of women in the world. Caption: Activist Massay Crisantho uses her influence and far-reaching platforms to advocate for the rights of women and girls in the country. The state of emergency, in place since Dec. 6 in 165 areas of Honduras' largest two cities, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, has been expanded to 235 of the country's 298 municipalities, the . Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) Crime is widespread in Honduras and requires a high degree of caution by U.S. visitors and residents alike. The rate of young people killing other young people is down to two main gangs : Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18. According to the respected nonpartisan group Honduran Social Forum on External Debt, corruption cost Honduras about $10.3 billion between 2014 and 2018, the equivalent of 10% to 12.5% of the . It is also recommended that drivers vary their routes and schedules so as to not create a predictable routine. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded. Avoid non-essential travel to the following areas and departments due to instances of violent crime, increased gang activity and violent demonstrations: within 20 km of the border with Guatemala with the exception of Copn Ruinas. drivers licenses, vehicle registration). Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2019 was 42.01, a 7.91% increase from 2018. Port agencies have worked to improve taxi service to/from ports. According to the UNDP report on Honduras, in 2020, the primary school enrollment rate reached 92%. 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. Do not travel to Gracias a Dios Department due to crime. 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. As a result, criminals operate with a high degree of impunity. My appreciation and congratulations to Ana Cruz and the fantastic work of safe houses! Enforce laws punishing brokers for illegal practices that facilitate trafficking, such as fraudulent offers of employment or illegal fees for migration or job placement. Airlines estimate that approximately 250,000 U.S. citizens flew into Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, or Roatn in 2019. The police, along with the Ministry of Defenses Military Public Order Police (PMOP), routinely establish checkpoints and review documentation (e.g. The government also enacted a new penal code provision that brought the definition of trafficking in line with the definition under international law. The Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required. Children living on the streets are at risk for sex and labor trafficking. Officials report family problems, unemployment, and lack of access to healthcare exacerbate these risks. NGOs reported authorities did not properly identify children forced to engage in illegal activities by criminal groups, reporting that the government may have inappropriately treated such children as criminals instead of victims. Congressional Research Service - Honduras - 2019, 2020. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), through the Spotlight Initiative and in partnership with civil society organizations, launched the "The Other Pandemic" campaign in order to activate a social movement to address and prevent gender-based violence. Ocean via the Gulf of Fonseca in the Caribbean and access to the local police and property crime 1. Avoid protests, which can quickly turn violent. In April 2019, one or more individuals attempted a surreptitious breach of perimeter fencing at a U.S. Embassy residence. There is no evidence suggesting criminals specifically target U.S. citizens, but foreigners have been targeted for crime due to their perceived wealth. CountryReports 1997 - 2023 - All Rights Reserved. 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. Review OSACs reports, Hotels: The Inns and Outs and Considerations for Hotel Security. Do not buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Armed robberies, burglaries, vandalization, home invasions, and extortions occur; closely guarded officials, businesspersons, and diplomats are not immune. AUDIE CORNISH,. Please check your download folder. The violence is carried out by local drug trafficking groups, gangs, corrupt security forces and transnational criminal organizations mainly from Mexico and Colombia. We have provided a few examples below that you can copy and paste to your site: Your data export is now complete. 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. in Choluteca: the cities of Apacilagua, Orocuina and San Isidro. Cable signal theft and counterfeit products are the most prevalent violations of intellectual property rights in Honduras. NGOs have reported anonymous attacks via social media, alleging that civil society actors are engaged in, or supportive of, criminal activity in Honduras. Traffickers exploit victims within their own homes or communities, including sometimes their own family members or friends. Children, including from indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, particularly Miskito boys, are at risk for forced labor in the agricultural, construction, manufacturing, mining, and hospitality industries. Traffickers particularly target LGBTQI+ Hondurans, migrants, IDPs, persons with disabilities, children in child labor, children whose parents have migrated, and individuals living in areas controlled by organized criminal groups. Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking, is widespread. Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha. However, there can be communal tension over land ownership, natural resource allocation, and exploitation. CICESCT referred 37 victimsfive boys, 22 girls, and 10 womento government and NGO shelters for additional care. 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. Despite being considered the best private hospital in Tegucigalpa, it is not Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited; JCI is an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates and accredits healthcare organizations. Young males working in pairs, often riding motorcycles, are perpetrating many of the armed robberies in Honduras urban areas. A significant percentage of vehicles are in disrepair, underpowered, beyond their lifecycle, and would not meet U.S. road safety standards. Coxen Hole on the island of Roatan should be avoided after dark. Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. Authorities identified five of the victims through calls to government hotlines, and 16 were identified in Mexico or Guatemala and repatriated to Honduras. 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. Massay Crisantho is one of the 21 most influential people named ambassadors to help advocate on ending violence against women and girls by the United Nations in Honduras. The CICESCT convened a network of 32 government agencies and NGOs and coordinated the governments anti-trafficking efforts, including implementation of the 2016-2020 national anti-trafficking action plan. 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. Passing on blind corners is common. The public transportation sector is a regular target of extortion, and experiences higher levels of homicide than many other sectors. Violent transnational criminal organizations are also involved in narcotics trafficking and other illicit commerce. Embassy employees and others have experienced skimming at well- known restaurants, hotels, and retailers. Caption: Ana Cruz of Asociacin Calidad de Vida, an anti-violence organization. Read more about the coordinated response to COVID-19. Honduran regulations prohibited charging recruitment fees to workers, but the government did not report enforcement of these regulations in 2020. 2022 estimated. Review OSACs report, Security In Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. 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. what did the menendez brothers parents do to them osac crime and safety report honduras Posted on July 8, 2021by Published by at June 7, 2022. Extortion threats commonly originate through social engineering. However, with respect to sex trafficking, these penalties were not commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape. Learn about employment opportunities across the UNSDG. The government and NGOs identified 42 trafficking victims in 2020, including 31 exploited in sex trafficking and 11 in forced labor; two of the labor trafficking victims were children forced to commit unlawful acts. Counterfeit products are predominately but not solely in the pharmaceutical and apparel industries. Although the trend has decreased as of 2014, Nine significant tropical storms/hurricanes since 1995 have affected Honduras. Review OSACs report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. The Government of Honduras has a very limited law enforcement presence in some northern coastal areas, including parts of the departments of Olancho, Colon, and Gracias a Dios. Review OSACs report, Kidnapping: The Basics. Humanitarian Assistance: Since April 2021, USAID reached approximately 1.9 million people impacted by recurrent droughts, COVID-19, and severe damage from Hurricanes Eta and Iota in northern. 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. 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. 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. Two U.S. citizens reported incidents of rape or sexual assault between January and September 2013. Officials flew Garza, a 48-year-old . DOS Trafficking in Persons Report - 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019. The Inescapable Prison of Barrio 18 in Honduras BARRIO 18 / 17 JAN 2023 To Desafio, the Barrio 18 gang in Honduras was everything. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2017 was 40.98, a 26.23% decline from 2016. During the pandemic, violence cases against women increased significantly; the number of emergency calls rose to 282 per day. Review the State Departments webpage on security for travelers with disabilities. See the description of highways/areas to be avoided in the Traffic Safety and Road Conditions section below for details. HMCs lab was reviewed by the Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist and found to be up to U.S. standards and quality assurance practices. Some passengers opt to travel armed when using public transportation, which sometimes results in armed confrontations where innocent bystanders are injured or killed in the crossfire. Caption: On 25th November, women and men rallied together to raise awareness of the increasing femicide rates and growing violence against women and girls at a UN-supported event.