Honduras + 7 more. Violence based on gender identity or sexual orientation is widespread in Honduras. 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. Migrant caravan sets off for US from Honduras amid new crackdown. Limited inspections could facilitate movements of terrorists. 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 Comayagüela, downtown Tegucigalpa, and neighborhoods in the outskirts of the city that are generally controlled by gangs. Impunity for crimes and human rights abuses is the norm. Source: Secretaría de Salud [Honduras], Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) e ICF … Passengers on public buses have been the victims of robbery at roadblocks and bus stops, during daytime and nighttime hours. Thefts, break-ins, assaults, rapes, and murders do occur. Many activists report that crimes committed against the LGBTI+ community go unpunished. In August, the United Nations special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers reported that four justices of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court were removed by Congress for political reasons and noted the lack of transparency in judicial appointments and lack of public scrutiny in the appointment of high officials. Honduras received support from the Millennium Challenge Corporation in the development of an e-procurement platform and public procurement auditing. Police in riot gear advance toward demonstrators demanding the resignation of President Juan Orlando Hernandez, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on Thursday, October 24 2019. Review OSAC’s report, The limited capacity of the government to enforce international standards related to natural resource exploitation has resulted in higher levels of conflict in the extractive and electrical generation industries. 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 country does not appear to be a terrorist safe haven. Counterfeit products are predominately but not solely in the pharmaceutical and apparel industries. gangs are the most active and powerful. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may … Detained U.S. citizens should insist on speaking to U.S. Embassy representatives as soon as possible. Since 2010, there have been approximately 60 murders of U.S. citizens reported in Honduras. 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. The limited capacity of the government to enforce international standards related to natural resource exploitation has resulted in higher levels of conflict in the extractive and electrical generation industries. 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. Honduras requires proof of Yellow Fever immunization if coming from another country endemic with Yellow Fever. In January, a new migrant caravan started forming in San Pedro Sula, heading toward Mexico and the United States. In March, a new adoption law that prohibits same-sex couples from adopting children went into effect. This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa. Download the State Department’s Crime Victims Assistance brochure. The Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH), established in 2016 through an agreement between the government and the Organization of American States (OAS), has investigated a small number of cases involving corruption of senior officials. 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. Seek legal representation before admitting or signing any legal form that acknowledges culpability. A significant percentage of vehicles are in disrepair, underpowered, beyond their lifecycle, and would not meet U.S. road safety standards. Several United Nations agencies working in Honduras have noted that violence against LGBT individuals forces them into “internal displacement” or to flee in search of international protection. On Violence Against Women in Honduras . Contact OSAC’s Latin America team with any questions or to join. In November, the Honduran government and the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), installed an evaluation board to review the performance of  MACCIH, prior to examining whether or not to extend its mandate. However, kidnapping figures are likely lower than reality, as families of kidnapping victims often pay ransoms without reporting these crimes to police out of fear of retribution. Review OSAC’s reports, The Overseas Traveler’s Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud, Best Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling with Mobile Devices: Trends & Best Practices. Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Review OSAC’s report, Surviving a Protest. Cable signal theft and counterfeit products are the most prevalent violations of intellectual property rights in Honduras. 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. Under the agreement, Honduras cannot return or remove the migrants until their asylum cases are resolved by the US federal authorities. Port agencies have worked to improve taxi service to/from ports. Review the State Department’s webpage on security for LGBTI+ travelers. Roatán and the Bay Islands are geographically separate from the mainland and experience lower crime rates even when compared with other Caribbean islands. As a result, criminals operate with a high degree of impunity. LGBTI+ travelers should exercise caution, especially when expressing affection in public. 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. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Honduras (OACNUDH) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) expressed concern over reports that security forces fired live ammunition into demonstrations. March 9, 2020. The Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required. In October 2019, a thief stole the side view mirrors from a U.S. employee’s personally owned vehicle while it was parked on a side street near the Embassy. Media reported that Honduran authorities obstructed and in some cases barred Hondurans from leaving the country by demanding identity documents, establishing checkpoints and blockades, and even teargassing the caravan. A December 2018 study by the National Committee on the Prevention of Torture, Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment, an official body, reported that the country’s prisons held 21,004 inmates, a figure double that of a decade earlier. New York, December 16, 2020— Hurricanes Eta and Iota have left more than 250,000 people in Honduras with limited access to health care services, but the international response remains insufficient to respond to the urgent needs, said the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Review OSAC’s report, Kidnapping: The Basics. 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. In November 2018, a court found seven men guilty of the 2016 murder of environmental and indigenous-rights activist Berta Cáceres. Many of the seizures have taken place in La Mosquitia, a jungle region on Honduras’ Caribbean coast that is a crucial corridor for cocaine heading north. Inhumane conditions, including overcrowding, inadequate nutrition, and poor sanitation are endemic in Honduran prisons. Cruise ship passengers should take safety precautions, avoid unfamiliar areas, and book only with reputable tour companies during their stopover in Honduras. Discrimination occurs against ethnic minorities and the LGBTI+ community. While hurricane winds are a concern, much of the damage to infrastructure comes as a result of the ensuing flooding and rock/mudslides. Cruise lines and port agencies offer approved tour companies offering packages. Review OSAC’s reports, Hotels: The Inns and Outs and Considerations for Hotel Security. 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 Atlántida 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/. In April, the IACHR brought a case against Honduras before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights concerning the extrajudicial execution of a transsexual woman and human rights defender in 2009, while a curfew was in force. ; and read the State Department’s webpage on, Passengers on public buses have been the victims of robbery at roadblocks and bus stops, during daytime and nighttime hours. Honduras is one of the most impoverished nations in Central America. Medical care is limited. There is no information to suggest that criminals specifically target U.S. citizens or foreigners. 28 Dec 2020. Civil unrest in Tegucigalpa and other parts of Honduras remains a constant challenge. Most of these attacks involved gang members demanding extortion payments. Many of these U.S. citizens are church and humanitarian aid volunteers working throughout the country, including in gang-controlled neighborhoods. Before you travel, consider the following resources: The contents of this (U) report in no way represent the policies, views, or attitudes of the United States Department of State, There is no information to suggest that criminals specifically target U.S. citizens or foreigners. International press freedom organizations report that journalists continue to be targets of threats and violence, both by individuals and state agents. Honduras 8. In May, MACCIH announced that it was investigating Lobo for allegedly laundering drug money for his electoral campaign. 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. In March 2019, the Honduran Government created the National Urban Transportation Security Force to combat extortion and other crimes perpetrated by gangs. Gracias a Dios is a remote location where narcotics trafficking is frequent, infrastructure is weak, government services are limited, and police/military presence is scarce. Satellite Phones: Critical or Contraband? According to the Honduran National Police, there were 12 kidnappings reported nationwide during 2019. The following day, protesters started a fire outside of one of the U.S. Embassy’s entrances during demonstrations against public-sector reforms in the country. Honduras has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Please note that all OSAC products are for internal U.S. private sector security purposes only. Those planning travel to Gracias a Dios should consider postponing their travel. The following diseases are prevalent in Honduras: Chikungunya, Dengue Fever, Malaria, and Zika. The court took into consideration the context of violence and discrimination against LGBT people in Honduras. Nicaragua used to be part of the CA-4 agreement, but in late 2017 began requiring travelers to register their travel purpose and destination online seven days in advance. Tue 6 Oct 2020 05.30 EDT. ; these are generally safer areas in which to reside because of their heightened security measures. Poverty, violence, and insecurity cause significant outflows of migrants and asylum-seekers. Review OSAC’s 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? Kidnappings declined by 82% since 2013, from 92 in 2013 to 14 in 2018, and 12 in 2019. The preliminary report documents that access to, use, and control over land by businesses is a recurring issue at the roots of many social conflicts. Due to the remote nature of these areas, the government’s ability to respond to violence or other problems is often very limited, as is access to medical facilities. As of September, officials were debating whether to extend MACCIH’s mandate, which was set to expire at the end of 2019. This is a common practice for most automobile accidents where personal injury occurs, and for cases in which someone is accused of a criminal act. Honduras is one of the world’s deadliest nations. Travelers are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate health coverage while in Honduras. Honduras has a long history of sustaining damage due to powerful tropical storms and hurricanes. Avoid using Collectivos (white sedan taxis with a sticker on the windshield denoting its established route), Roleteros (private white sedan taxis with no established routes), and Rapiditos (small buses that pick up multiple riders). Source: Secretaría de Salud [Honduras], Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) e ICF International, 2013. Fire Department Ambulance is fully equipped with emergency medical supplies and medical staff. Every 23 hours, a woman violently loses her life in Honduras, said on Tuesday, the director of the Violence Observatory of the National Autonomous University, Migdonia Ayestas. There are no known international terrorist groups operating in Honduras. Responding police fired tear gas in and around the main terminal to regain control after protesters entered the building and airport grounds. Gangs are not reluctant to use violence, and specialize in murder-for-hire, carjacking, extortion, and other violent street crime. Review OSAC’s reports, The Overseas Traveler’s Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud and Taking Credit. Counterfeit products are predominately but not solely in the pharmaceutical and apparel industries. In August, the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights visited Honduras to assess how the government and the business sector discharge their responsibility to prevent, mitigate, and remedy human rights abuses and negative impacts linked to business activity. In 2019, there were 1,500 traffic fatalities throughout the country. Judges face interference from the executive branch and others, including private actors with connections to government. Local human rights organizations reported that the crackdown between March and July killed at least six people, wounded 80, and included 48 arbitrary detentions. More demonstrations followed over corruption allegations implicating President Hernández. 2 4. On May 30, protesters blocked several main avenues in Tegucigalpa, including access to Toncontín International Airport (TGU). CHICAGO — The fate of a boy brought to the U.S. as a toddler when his family fled Honduras remains undecided Wednesday, after a judge ordered the case continued until 2020. Discrimination occurs against ethnic minorities and the LGBTI+ community. In October, the US announced the partial restoration of previously frozen foreign aid to Honduras, as well as to El Salvador and Guatemala, after all three countries entered into asylum cooperation agreements with the US. Most demonstrations were concentrated in or around city centers, public buildings, and other public areas. The Honduran human rights ombudsman, CONADEH, reported that as of September 2019, 79 journalists had been killed since October 2001, and that 91 percent of those killings remained unpunished. The Honduran National Police wear blue uniforms, while the PMOP normally wear green camouflage. Officials say 2,241 kilograms of cocaine have been seized between January and July 2020, a little more than last year’s entire haul of 2,218 kilograms, Proceso Digital reported. Honduras has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and gangs control swathes of the country, using extreme violence to exert power. at the date of this report’s publication assesses Honduras at Level 3, indicating travelers should reconsider travel due to crime. In April 2019, one or more individuals attempted a surreptitious breach of perimeter fencing at a U.S. Embassy residence. -threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. These tensions have resulted in intense protests and violence. This prompted the government in July to establish an elite police force tasked with monitoring the activities of dismissed police officers after they are purged from the institution. Criminals sometimes obtain personal information through social media, the internet, or a victim’s family member. 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