honduras crime and safety report 2022

The number of inspections increased significantly as the STSS resumed normal inspections, suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Honduran National Police maintain internal security and report to the Secretariat of Security. Reach the local police anywhere in Honduras by dialing, . The law requires police to inform persons of the grounds for their arrest and bring detainees before a competent judicial authority within 24 hours. Roads have poor lighting and markings. On March 3, unknown assailants killed Martin Pandy, president of the Garifuna community of Corozal, and another community member. (white sedan taxis with a sticker on the windshield denoting its established route), (private white sedan taxis with no established routes), and, (small buses that pick up multiple riders). 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. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights, Section 6. This definition included workers who did not contribute to any form of social security protection, and thus it may have undercounted underemployed workers who rely on jobs in both the formal and informal sectors. Through August CONADEH received six reports of discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Review OSACs report, Armed robberies, burglaries, vandalization, home invasions, and extortions occur; closely guarded officials, businesspersons, and diplomats are not immune. The National Human Rights Commission (CONADEH) reported 15 arbitrary or unlawful killings by security forces as of August. The law permits fines, and while the monetary penalty is commensurate with those for other laws involving denials of civil rights, such as discrimination, the failure of the government to collect the fines facilitated continued labor law violations. Media reported prison riots, violent confrontations, and killings between gang members in prisons throughout the year. The secretariat reported assisting 127 IDPs as of August. On May 30, protesters blocked several main avenues in Tegucigalpa, including access to Toncontn International Airport (TGU). or the United States Government, except as otherwise noted (e.g., travel advisories, public statements). Avoid protests, which can quickly turn violent. The 18th Street and MS-13 (. ) Gang violence is widespread in and around urban areas. the Copan Mayan ruins and Roatn). Nine significant tropical storms/hurricanes since 1995 have affected Honduras. Honduras has the 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. Libel/Slander Laws: Citizens, including public officials, may initiate criminal proceedings for libel and slander. Most of these attacks involved gang members demanding extortion payments. It named 21 from Honduras, including former President Porfirio Lobo Sosa (2010-2014), who became ineligible for visas and admission to the US. In 2019, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders called Honduras one of the most dangerous countries for them in Latin America. The government launched a new Ministry of Transparency in November 2020 to address some of these concerns. The law mandates that authorities release detainees whose cases have not yet come to trial and whose time in pretrial detention already exceeds the maximum prison sentence for their alleged crime. Honduras ranked second in the world regarding the number of killings of land and environmental defenders per capita, according to the NGO Global Witness. 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. Around 191,000 people were internally displaced because of violence between 2004 and 2018, the government reported. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. Driving in Honduras can be dangerous. He was arrested again in April for separate but related charges. Some NGOs reported irregularities, including late delivery of technology needed to transmit results, late opening of the polls, poll workers with varying degrees of preparation and knowledge of the electoral law and processes, and lack of transparency in campaign financing. U.S. Department of State - United States Department of State However, in June and October 2021 it abstained from OAS resolutions condemning arrests of Nicaraguan presidential opposition candidates and critics and demanding their release. Media noted that family members often faced long delays or were unable to visit detainees. ; these are generally safer areas in which to reside because of their heightened security measures. Several anonymous social media sites, possibly linked to political parties, criticized journalists (as well as activists and civil society organizations) who were critical of the government or opposition party policies. 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 law criminalizes discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity characteristics and includes crimes committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity as aggravating circumstances to increase penalties for criminal offenses. The law provides a maximum sentence of three years in prison for disobeying a restraining order connected with the crime of violence against a woman. Avoid protests, which can quickly turn violent. Penalties for the possession, use, or trafficking of illegal narcotics are strict; convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. Those planning travel to Gracias a Dios should consider postponing their travel. On May 30, protesters blocked several main avenues in Tegucigalpa, including access to Toncontn International Airport (TGU). An independent press and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for members of the media. According to UNDP data, informal workers played a large role in nearly every industry, including agriculture and fishing; mining; manufacturing; utilities; construction; wholesale retail, hotels, and restaurants; transport and storage; and personal services. The following diseases are prevalent in Honduras: Chikungunya, Dengue Fever, Malaria, and Zika. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Vanessa worked as a volunteer in the Association for Prevention and Education in Health, Sexuality, AIDS, and Human Rights. Many prisons lacked sufficient security personnel. By law workers may remove themselves from situations that endanger their health or safety without jeopardizing continued employment. Land title procedures have been an issue leading to investment disputes involving U.S. nationals who are landowners. Download the State Departments Crime Victims Assistance brochure. There were no reports of anti-Semitic acts. The law provides for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, with some restrictions, and the government generally respected this right. Honduras declared a state of exception as extortion cases rise, suspending constitutional rights in cities and deploying thousands of troops. The Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required. gangs are the most active and powerful. Transgender women were particularly vulnerable to employment and education discrimination; many could find employment only as sex workers, increasing their vulnerability to violence and extortion. Although reports of kidnappings have dropped considerably in recent years, they continue to affect both the local and expatriate communities, with victims sometimes paying large ransoms for the prospect of release. 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. Gangs, particularly the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and the 18th Street Gang (Barrio 18), are considered largely responsible for Honduras murder rate, and are infamous for extortion and drug peddling. 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. The Jewish community numbered approximately 275 members. The police generally treat detained foreigners well. Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking, is widespread. Bogran was arrested in October 2020 on two corruption charges for embezzling an estimated 1.14 billion lempiras ($47 million) in public funds and funneling a contract for mobile hospitals to his uncle, Napoleon Corrales. The prosecution may request an additional six-month extension, but many detainees remained in pretrial detention much longer, including for more time than the maximum period of incarceration for their alleged crime. In some industries, including agriculture, domestic service, and security, employers did not respect maternity rights or pay minimum wage, overtime, or vacation. As of September, more than 20,000 people were detained in prisons with capacity for under 11,000. The law requires prisoners to work at least five hours a day, six days a week. To reduce overcrowding in response to the pandemic, the legislature approved alternatives to pretrial detention and judges have released more than 1,600 people. While many protests remain relatively peaceful, demonstrations can escalate into violent confrontations with the police resulting in destruction to public and private property. NGOs reported the government did not effectively combat discrimination and promote equal access to government services or employment opportunities. Because labor inspectors continued to be concentrated in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, full labor inspections and follow-up visits to confirm compliance were far less frequent in other parts of the country. The law provides for freedom of peaceful assembly, and the government generally respected this right. 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. Contact OSACs, https://www.facebook.com/embajadahonduras/, https://hn.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/spsca/, External links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein, Travel Advisory: Honduras - Level 3 (Reconsider Travel), Central America Natural Disaster Emergency Planning: OSAC Guidance and Resources. The government used the pretrial detention center to hold high-profile suspects and those in need of additional security, including police and military officials. A federal grand jury on Friday indicted the man accused of shooting two Jewish men in February with hate crime and firearm offenses, the US Attorney's Office for the Central 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. Human Rights Watch documented mass expulsion of migrants and asylum seekers, including Hondurans, from Mexico to a remote jungle in Guatemala. 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. 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. Animals and people wander onto the roads. 03 / Select Countries You can add more than one country or area. For crimes with minimum sentences of six years imprisonment, the law authorizes pretrial detention of up to two years. The trial began five years after the prize-winning activist's murder. They forcibly recruit children and sexually abuse women, girls, and LGBT people. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: a. 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. Since 2010, 42 journalists have been killed, UNESCO reported. Please note that all OSAC products are for internal U.S. private sector security purposes only. Resolution of disputes in court often takes years. The public transportation sector is a regular target of extortion, and experiences higher levels of homicide than many other sectors. 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. Some companies also delayed appointing or failed to appoint representatives for required STSS-led mediation, a practice that prolonged the mediation process and impeded the right to strike. Review OSACs report, All That You Should Leave Behind. Honduras is a signatory to the International Labor Organizations 169 Convention, which requires free prior notice and informed consent from indigenous communities before any development projects can begin; the congress has not approved a law regulating this process. The municipalities in which kidnappings were reported include: Districto Central (4), Jacaleapa (1), Trojes (1), Siguatepeque (1), Puerto Cortes (1), Lejamani (1), Tocoa (1), Tela (1), and Comayagua (1). Garza is wanted in Honduras for homicide. Girls and adolescents younger than 19 carry 15 percent of all pregnancies, the Monitoring Mechanism of the Belm do Par Convention reported in 2016. Review the State Departments webpage on security for. The law permits fines, and while the monetary penalty is sufficient to deter violations and commensurate with the penalties for similar crimes, such as fraud, the failure of the government to collect those fines facilitated continued labor code violations. Review OSACs report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. Coca Growing, Cocaine Production Reach New Heights in Honduras. La Ceiba, Trujillo) and major hotels; other tourist installations have increased private and police security. However, visitors have reported being robbed while walking on isolated beaches. In January the government funded the opening of a UN Office of Drugs and Crime office to begin a government transparency project and support the drafting of the countrys first national anticorruption strategy. The U.S. Embassy estimates at least 30,000 U.S. citizens reside in Honduras. Despite incremental progress, government capacities remained relatively nascent and limited. Satellite Phones: Critical or Contraband? OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Honduras. The San Pedro Sula area has seen armed robberies against tourist vans, minibuses, and cars traveling from the airport to area hotels. Reproductive Rights: There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities. The government failed to control pervasive gang-related violence and criminal activity within the prisons. Medical care is limited. According to the Honduran Commission for Human Rights (Conadeh), 75 people died in attacks against the public transport service in Honduras between January and July 2019. Coca farms and cocaine production camps are proliferating in Honduras, showing that the illicit crop has taken root in the country after years of low-level experimentation. Detained U.S. citizens should insist on speaking to U.S. Embassy representatives as soon as possible. The Honduran National Police wear blue uniforms, while the PMOP normally wear green camouflage. In January 2021, the IACHR and the UN special rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons urged the government to adopt a law protecting internally displaced people. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, a. Airlines estimate that approximately 250,000 U.S. citizens flew into Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, or Roatn in 2019. In a 2020 survey by UNHCR and UNICEF, half of Hondurans interviewed in Mexico named violence as the main reason for their leaving. Honduras' national police force is overseen by the Secretary of Security, which had 18,770 agents in 2020 and ambitious plans to reach 26000 by 2022. In February, journalist Henry Fiallos and his family received anonymous death threats after he covered a femicide in which police officers were implicated.

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