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. Those traveling with tour/missionary groups report fewer criminal incidents. Major cities connect via an inconsistently maintained, two-lane system of paved roads, with many unpaved secondary roads. 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 homicide rate in Honduras was 42 per 100,000 people in 2019, making it one of the most violent countries in the world. In these sectors employers frequently paid workers for the standard 44-hour workweek irrespective of any additional hours they worked. Since 2010, 42 journalists have been killed, UNESCO reported. Anticorruption efforts remained an area of concern, as did the governments ability to protect justice-sector officials, such as prosecutors and judges. 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. However, visitors have reported being robbed while walking on isolated beaches. Review the State Departments webpage on security for. Kidnappings declined by 82% since 2013, from 92 in 2013 to 14 in 2018, and 12 in 2019. The Public Ministry also has the Special Prosecutors Office for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Journalists, Social Communicators, and Justice Officials. Roatn and the Bay Islands are geographically separate from the mainland and experience lower crime rates even when compared with other Caribbean islands. In August, a former director of the Honduran hydroelectric company DESA was convicted of organizing the 2016 assassination of environmental and Indigenous rights defender Berta Cceres, who opposed construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Gualcarque river. Honduras has a long history of sustaining damage due to powerful tropical storms and hurricanes. The government provided victims of sexual violence access to other health-care services. Review OSACs report, Security In Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. Share this via Reddit Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday, 0730-1630; Friday, 0800-1500, Tel: +504-2236-9320; After Hours: +504-2236-8497, Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/embajadahonduras/, Banco Atlntida Building, 11th Floor, across the street from Central Park, San Pedro Sula, Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday, 1200-1600, Website: https://hn.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/spsca/. The accused were in pretrial detention awaiting the next phase of the judicial process. Marco Bogran, former director of INVEST-H, the Honduran government entity tasked with providing coronavirus pandemic relief contracts to private firms, remained in pretrial detention awaiting his next court appearance, scheduled for January 31, 2022. U.S. citizens have been the victims of a wide range of crimes, including murder, kidnapping, rape, assault, and property crimes. Between January and March this year, authorities have destroyed . Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2018 was 38.93, a 5.01% decline from 2017. U.S. Department of State - United States Department of State 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. Review OSACs reports, The Overseas Travelers Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud and Taking Credit. Review the State Departments webpage on insurance overseas. Her most recent evaluation was in August, and the court declared her fit to stand trial in September. Counterfeit Honduran lempiras (currency) are common, especially in the 100 and 500 denominations. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, a. Although Honduras has made some progress, many perceive the property registration system as unreliable and a constraint on investment, particularly in the Bay Islands. The government lacks resources to investigate and prosecute cases; police often lack vehicles/fuel to respond to calls for assistance. In March 2019, the Honduran Government created the National Urban Transportation Security Force to combat extortion and other crimes perpetrated by gangs. There is street crime even in gated communities commonly referred to locally asBarrio Seguros; these are generally safer areas in which to reside because of their heightened security measures. There are no known international terrorist groups operating in Honduras. There are an estimated 7,000-10,000 gang members in a country with an approximate population of ten million people. Civil society organizations criticized the governments failure to investigate threats adequately. Why Money Launderers in Honduras May Be Getting Away With It ELITES AND CRIME / 1 NOV 2022 Honduras has freed dozens of individuals tied to organized crime a year after reforming its money laundering law. Counterfeit products are predominately but not solely in the pharmaceutical and apparel industries. The directorate issued 1,379 recommendations to the Ministry of Security for disciplinary actions as of September following internal investigations of national police members. The Ministry of Securitys Directorate of Disciplinary Police Affairs investigated members of the Honduran National Police accused of human rights abuses. Avoid protests, which can quickly turn violent. Do not travel to Gracias a Dios Department due to crime. In 2020, hurricanes Eta and Iota forced more than 55,000 to move into temporary shelters, according to the Red Cross. Review OSACs report, All That You Should Leave Behind. Some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) expressed concern regarding weak implementation of the law and limited resources available to operate the governments protection mechanism. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Honduras. Although 74 percent of births were attended by skilled health care personnel, NGOs reported significant gaps in obstetric care, especially in rural areas. The 18th Street and MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) gangs are the most active and powerful. The law does not permit active members of the military or civilian security forces to vote. World Bank statistics from 2020 put net enrollment for primary school above 90 percent, but the National Center for Social Sector Information stated that 43 percent of persons with disabilities received no formal education. Assassinations and violence continue under military supervision. In November 2019, Tegucigalpa authorities began developing a luxury housing project in the La Tigra bioreserve, just outside of the city. The Directorate of Disciplinary Police Affairs investigated abuses by police forces. Historically, governments have responded to organized crime with iron-fist security strategies. Nevertheless, social discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons persisted, as did physical violence. As of August it continued to provide protection to 12 journalists, among other types of activists and human rights defenders. The Crime Rate In Roatan Honduras - leicestershirevillages.com As a result, there is no longer free travel between Honduras and Nicaragua. The most recent national and local elections were held in November. 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. The government maintained the Interinstitutional Commission for the Protection of Persons Displaced by Violence and created the Directorate for the Protection of Persons Internally Displaced by Violence within the Secretariat of Human Rights. Media linked her killing to organized criminal groups and drug trafficking organizations. There have been repeated allegations of collusion between security forces and criminal organizations. honduras crime and safety report 2021 Hakkmzda. Cable signal theft and counterfeit products are the most prevalent violations of intellectual property rights in Honduras. The law prohibits illicit association, defined as gatherings by persons bearing arms, explosive devices, or dangerous objects with the purpose of committing a crime, and prescribes prison terms of two to four years and a moderate fine for anyone who convokes or directs an illicit meeting or demonstration. CONAPREV reported 13 violent deaths in prisons as of September. Linn County deputies seize more than 500 marijuana plants from Halsey Violators face penalties of one to three years in prison and possible suspension of their professional licenses, but the government did not effectively enforce the law. It stipulates that a prosecutor has 24 additional hours to decide if there is probable cause for indictment, whereupon a judge has 24 more hours to decide whether to issue a temporary detention order. The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this reports publication assesses Honduras at Level 3, indicating travelers should reconsider travel due tocrime. Honduras - United States Department of State The law requires individuals and companies that employ more than 20 school-age children at their facilities to provide a location for a school. A 2019 Inter-American Commission on Human Rights report noted there were insufficient hospital beds and inadequate supplies at the only hospital that serviced Gracias a Dios Department, home to most of the Miskito community. There have also been cases of police harassment of patrons in LGBTI+ nightclubs. The law provides for the right to a fair and public trial; however, the judiciary did not always enforce this right. Most child labor occurred in rural areas. Most demonstrations were concentrated in or around city centers, public buildings, and other public areas. The government investigated violence and threats of violence against union leaders. 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. 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. Displaced Children: Civil society organizations reported that common causes of forced displacement for youth included death threats for failure to pay extortion, attempted recruitment by gangs, witnessing criminal activity by gangs or organized criminal groups, domestic violence, attempted kidnappings, family members involvement in drug dealing, victimization by traffickers, rape including commercial sexual exploitation by gangs, discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, sexual harassment, and discrimination for having a chronic medical condition. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. Honduras Crime Rate & Statistics 1990-2023 | MacroTrends In addition the center estimated approximately 937,000 individuals were forcibly displaced by natural disasters during 2020. Honduras requires proof of Yellow Fever immunization if coming from another country endemic with Yellow Fever. Your session will expire soon and log you out. Health-care workers protested the lack of adequate protective equipment and delayed salary payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Honduras ranked second in the world regarding the number of killings of land and environmental defenders per capita, according to the NGO Global Witness. During July 2019 alone, the cities of San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa recorded 11 attacks leaving 15 people dead, mostly taxi drivers and bus drivers. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings, c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees, f. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence, a. Also see the Department of Labors Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings. Review OSACs reports, The Healthy Way, Traveling with Medication, Im Drinking What in My Water?, Shaken: The Donts of Alcohol Abroad, Health 101: How to Prepare for Travel, and Fire Safety Abroad. Contraception supplies continued to be limited. The government took some steps to address corruption at high levels in government agencies, including arresting and charging senior officials on COVID-related procurement corruption. Estimates of the number of active gang members range from 5,000 to 40,000. OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Honduras. Reach the local police anywhere in Honduras by dialing, . Cruise ship industry contacts report that approximately one million U.S. citizens enter the country by ship every year, primarily in Roatn, but also in La Ceiba on the northern coast. Spurred by anger with the government over accusations of public corruption, allegations of involvement in narcotics trafficking, and efforts to pass controversial education reform, protests and demonstrations were near-daily occurrences at times during 2019. In addition, Honduras is situated in an active seismic zone, so tremors are to be expected. From January to July, 7,007 accompanied and 676 unaccompanied Honduran children requested asylum. The law requires prisoners to work at least five hours a day, six days a week. Counterfeit U.S. currency is also common. Hondurans continue to be affected by MS-13 and Calle 18 gang activity in cities such as Tegucigalpa, Choloma, La Ceiba, Tela, and San Pedro Sula. . 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. Honduras | Food Safety and Inspection Service Coca Growing, Cocaine Production Reach New Heights in Honduras. Honduras has failed to uphold the Garifunas right to collective tenure over their lands and to promptly and adequately investigate threats and acts of harassment against community leaders, the IACHR stated in 2020. 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. Thirty-four percent of women ages 20 to 24 had married when they were 15 to 19, a UN Population Fund study conducted from 2005 to 2019 found. 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. TAIPEI, March 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- One in four Americans experienced home burglary in 2022, according to the first annual Global Safety and Security Report released by AlfredCamera, a leading . honduras crime and safety report 2021 - smartfxmarket.com Victims were primarily impoverished individuals in both rural and urban areas (see section 7.c.). Due to the lack of enforcement of traffic laws, travelers should make an extraordinary effort to drive defensively. The law does not criminalize domestic violence but provides penalties of up to 12 years in prison for violence against a family member, depending on the severity of the assault and aggravating circumstances. LGBTI+ travelers should exercise caution, especially when expressing affection in public. On June 17, a riot between alleged members of the 18th Street and MS-13 gangs in the maximum-security prison La Tolva in Moroceli, El Paraiso Department, resulted in five dead and 39 injured. On July 6, unknown assailants shot and killed land rights defender Juan Manuel Moncada in Tocoa, Colon Department. To reduce overcrowding in response to the pandemic, the legislature approved alternatives to pretrial detention and judges have released more than 1,600 people. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) Advanced Training.