The law on safe houses needs to be passed! 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. Travelers should always drive with their doors locked and windows rolled up to avoid potential robberies at traffic lights and other places, such as congested downtown 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. For fire and public safety emergencies, dial 911. Gangs are not reluctant to use violence, and specialize in murder-for-hire, carjacking, extortion, and other violent street crime. Crime in Roatan, Honduras. 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The government lacks resources to investigate and prosecute cases; police often lack vehicles/fuel to respond to calls for assistance. Despite significant Honduras 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Report. There is no evidence suggesting criminals specifically target U.S. citizens, but foreigners have been targeted for crime due to their perceived wealth. Resolution of disputes in court often takes years. Figures likely to be an underestimate, says Global Witness, as land defenders are killed by hitmen, crime groups and governments Published: 28 Sep 2022 More than 1,700 environmental activists . Sources indicate that organized criminal organizations have been . My appreciation and congratulations to Ana Cruz and the fantastic work of safe houses! Due to the lack of enforcement of traffic laws, travelers should make an extraordinary effort to drive defensively. This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa. In 2012, a U.S. citizen reported that his boat was boarded and his passengers were the victims of an armed robbery while sailing in Honduran waters near Puerto Cortes, three miles north of Punta Sal. Download Historical Data. Garza is wanted in Honduras for homicide. ", expressed the UN Resident Coordinator in Honduras, Alice Shackelford, on Twitter. In April 2019, one or more individuals attempted a surreptitious breach of perimeter fencing at a U.S. Embassy residence. According to InSight Crime, the crime rate has decreased by 26%, which is what the Honduran government is aiming to work on if they expect more visitors per year. In 2019, there were 1,500 traffic fatalities throughout the country. During the pandemic, violence cases against women increased significantly; the number of emergency calls rose to 282 per day. For more information on the work of the United Nations in Honduras, visit Honduras.UN.org. 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. Some would-be muggers and gang members keep to a daily schedule, riding city buses from one stop to the next, committing criminal acts with impunity along the way. However, protesters will also block, key intercity transportation routes and intracity intersections with burning tires, rocks and other debris, to include the roads leading to the international airports in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, and the CA-5 and CA-11 highways. The violence is carried out by local drug trafficking groups, gangs, corrupt security forces and transnational criminal organizations mainly from Mexico and Colombia. DOS: Northern Triangle Country Conditions: Ranking the Highest and Lowest Areas of Reported, Homicides, Disappearances, and Extortion - May 2019. We have provided a few examples below that you can copy and paste to your site: Your data export is now complete. CICESCT maintained a public website and launched social media accounts to share information on human trafficking with the public. All bus travel should be during daylight hours and on first-class conveyances, not economy buses. Counterfeit U.S. currency is also common. Although Honduras has reduced its homicide rate by half since 2011, it remains one of the world's highest, with 44.8 murders per 100,000 population in 2019. Diarrheal illness is very common even in large cities and luxury accommodations. Penalties for the possession, use, or trafficking of illegal narcotics are strict; convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. 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. As a result, criminals operate with a high degree of impunity. There are few U.S.- educated physicians in Tegucigalpa. Honduran law requires access to buildings for persons with disabilities; however, there are limited facilities for individuals with disabilities. Honduras lacks the infrastructure to maintain water purity and food safety. . U.S. organizations and citizens report corruption in the public sector and the judiciary is a significant constraint to investment in Honduras. San Pedro Sula is not a safe place to travel, with a high crime rate. Congressional Research Service - Honduras - 2019, 2020. In 2020,278 women were murdered in the countryand, as of November 2021, more than 240 women have lost their lives violently. CICESCT reported using online training platforms to educate stakeholders on the impact of pandemic-related restrictions on trafficking trends and how to adapt. 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? The government modernized its national identification card system and began distributing new national identification cards in February 2021. Coxen Hole on the island of Roatan should be avoided after dark. The U.S. Department of State has assessed Lima as being a CRITICAL-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Civil society continues to advocate for this law to be passed and the United Nations has joined in these efforts. international and local public pressure, MACCIHs mandate ended in January 2020 without agreement for its extension between the OAS and the Honduran government. Except in some very rural locations, police are aware of a U.S. citizen detainee's right to contact the Embassy. You are responsible for ensuring that you meet and comply with foreign entry requirements, health requirements and that you possess the appropriate travel documents. 2018 toyota rav4 pros and cons. The U.S. Embassy estimates at least 30,000 U.S. citizens reside in Honduras. 0. Since its inception in 2016, MACCIH has worked with the Public Ministry to achieve success on several significant cases, including against current and former public officials. 0. Story written by Maria ElenaClix, Communications and Advocacy Officer at the Office of the Resident Coordinator in Honduras. 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. 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. Honduras is a destination for child sex tourists from Canada and the United States. 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. 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. Airlines estimate that approximately 250,000 U.S. citizens flew into Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, or Roatn in 2019. The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tegucigalpa as being a MEDIUM-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Correspondent John Holman reports from San Pedro Sula in Honduras, a city with the highest murder rate in the world, on how organized crime is devastating co. 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. Traffickers exploit Honduran women and children in sex trafficking within the country and in other countries such as Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Spain, and the United States. Reach the local police anywhere in Honduras by dialing 911. Anyone with information is strongly encouraged to report the matter. The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tegucigalpa as being a CRITICAL-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. 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. When possible, travel in groups. Authorities convicted two government officials, one on pimping charges and one for paid sexual relations, for their involvement in sex trafficking crimes in 2017. According to a November 2019 study entitled Plan for Sustainable Urban Mobility for the Central District and Comayaguela, 48% of passengers reported having been assaulted one time in the past 12 months while traveling on a Rapidito, 31% twice, 11% three times, and 10% more than three times. Among the findings is that nine out of 10 news stories promote the dissemination of morbid details, include inadequate justifications and stereotypical reporting, which adds on to the misrepresentation of reality, which affects how this type of news is understood and interpreted by the public.