Civil unrest in Tegucigalpa and other parts of Honduras remains a constant challenge. See the Department of States International Religious Freedom Report at https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/. Despite significant international and local public pressure, MACCIHs mandate ended in January 2020 without agreement for its extension between the OAS and the Honduran government. Although penalties include prison sentences of up to two years and fines, they were not sufficient to deter violations. Political, Economic, Religious, and Ethnic Violence. HMCs lab was reviewed by the Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist and found to be up to U.S. standards and quality assurance practices. The government operated six consolidated reporting and support centers in major cities and one mobile unit for the departments of Yoro and Corts where women could report crimes, seek medical and psychological attention, and receive other services. Detained U.S. citizens should insist on speaking to U.S. Embassy representatives as soon as possible. Transiting migrants, refugees, and other vulnerable populations continued to face acute security risks in border zones. NOTE: OSAC RESOURCE TASK GROUP (RTG . The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) was created in 1985 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to promote security cooperation between American private-sector interests worldwide and the U.S. Department of State.OSAC has developed into an enormously successful joint venture, with U.S. companies and organizations receiving the tools they need to cope with security issues in a .
PF79-84SW: Honduras 2018 Crime & Safety Report - Archive Impunity for such crimes remained high, as was the impunity rate for all types of crime. On May 31, members of the National Anti-Gang Unit shot and killed Wilson Ariel Prez Hernndez in San Pedro Sula, Corts Department. Penalties were sometimes applied against violators, but the failure of the government to collect fines facilitated continued violations. 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? Some companies also delayed appointing or failed to appoint representatives for required Secretariat of Labor-led mediation, a practice that prolonged the mediation process and impeded the right to strike. There are an estimated 7,000-10,000 gang members in a country with an approximate population of ten million people. There have also been cases of police harassment of patrons in LGBTI+ nightclubs. Major cities connect via an inconsistently maintained, two-lane system of paved roads, with many unpaved secondary roads. The law permits fines for wage and hour violations; these were commensurate with the penalties for similar crimes, such as fraud. Honduras is a constitutional, multiparty republic. Review OSACs report, Kidnapping: The Basics. 19 Nov. There were no reports of antisemitic acts. Civil society continued to raise problems with minimum wage violations, highlighting agricultural companies in the south as frequent violators. The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention and provides for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of his or her arrest or detention in court. In addition to complying with local laws, companies involved in natural resource extraction or energy generation should ensure they fully consult with communities in accordance with international standards. Individuals and organizations may appeal adverse domestic decisions to the Inter-American Human Rights system. However, there can be communal tension over land ownership, natural resource allocation, and exploitation. Review OSACs reports, The Overseas Travelers Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud and Taking Credit. There was limited support for persons with mental illnesses or disabilities. A lower court provisionally dismissed Rubs fraud charge on September 20, and the Public Ministry appealed the decision. Vehicles often drive at night without adequate lighting. 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.
Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) - United States Department of According to the report, 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. Fire Department operations: +504-2231-1667. Extortion threats commonly originate through social engineering. OSAC 2022-S-0024, Best Practice Recommendations for Evaluative Forensic DNA Testimony. 03 / Select Countries You can add more than one country or area. Public-sector trade unionists raised concerns regarding government interference in trade union activities, including its ignoring or suspending collective agreements and its dismissals of union members and leaders. - July 2019 CSO Report - Northern Triangle Country Conditions: Ranking the Highest and Lowest Areas of Reported Homicides, Disappearances, and Extortion - May 2019 Northern Triangle and Mexico Country Conditions - May 2019 Foreign Government Reports Canada - The Research Directorate Crime Threats As a result, criminals operate with a high degree of impunity. Resolution of disputes in court often takes years. for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. The following diseases are prevalent in Honduras: Chikungunya, Dengue Fever, Malaria, and Zika. 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. 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. Honduras received support from the Millennium Challenge Corporation in the development of an e-procurement platform and public procurement auditing. On March 1, the National Congress repealed the Law for the Classification of Public Documents Related to National Security and Defense, better known as the Secrets Law. The law also requires that public-sector workers involved in the refining, transportation, and distribution of petroleum products submit their grievances to the Secretariat of Labor before striking. For more information, please visit OSAC.gov . The government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content, and there were no credible reports that the government monitored private online communications without appropriate legal authority. On September 16, the cabinet approved an executive decree to create a General Directorate of Information and Press under the Ministry of Strategic Planning. The Honduras Country Council generally meets monthly on a rotating basis in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula and has approximately 70 members. The law states that a womans employment should be appropriate to her physical state and capacity. These deaths included several in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba involving U.S. citizens murdered shortly after arriving in the country. Honduras decided in late 2018, based on reciprocity, to institute the same reporting requirement. 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. The law permits fines, and the penalty is commensurate with those for other laws involving denials of civil rights, such as discrimination. Review the State Departments webpage on security for LGBTI+ travelers. Review the State Departments webpage on. Participation of Women and Members of Minority Groups: No laws limit the participation of women or members of minority groups in the political process, and they did participate. Counterfeit medicines are available inpulperas (private home-operated convenience stores), but have also been reported inFarmacias del Ahorro. However, visitors have reported being robbed while walking on isolated beaches. Although many press outlets were politically aligned, the press and prevailing democratic norms combined to promote freedom of expression, including for members of the media. Major urban centers and drug trafficking routes experienced the highest rates of violence. -threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Tens of thousands of U.S. citizens visit Honduras each year for study, tourism, business, and volunteer work without incident, but the government lacks the resources to address crime and violence fully. Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings; torture and cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by government agents; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media, including threats to media members by criminal elements; serious government corruption; lack of investigation of and accountability for gender-based violence; and crimes involving violence or threats of violence against Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, and against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex persons. Emergency services, even in Tegucigalpa, generally are basic. Recent Elections: In November 2021, Xiomara Castro of the LIBRE Party won a four-year presidential term in elections that were generally considered free, fair, and transparent. The law places restrictions on these rights, such as requiring that a recognized trade union represent at least 30 workers, prohibiting foreign nationals from holding union offices, and requiring that union officials work in the same substantive area of the business as the workers they represent. The Public Ministrys Office of the Special Prosecutor for Human Rights handled cases involving charges of human rights abuses by government officials. While many protests remain relatively peaceful, demonstrations can escalate into violent confrontations with the police resulting in destruction to public and private property. The center, administered by the National Prison Institute, was on a military installation and received some support services from the military. There is no information to suggest that criminals specifically target U.S. citizens or foreigners. Cable signal theft and counterfeit products are the most prevalent violations of intellectual property rights in Honduras. While the risk from crime in Honduras remains a concern, most U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Honduras are unaffected by violence and visit for tourism or humanitarian aid work without incident. 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 sentencing hearing was scheduled for January 2023. The final verdict was pending a constitutional appeal. If a victims physical injuries do not reach the severity required to categorize the violence as a criminal act, the legal penalty for a first offense is a sentence of one to three months of community service. Indigenous and ethnic minority communities are frequently located in rural areas, which enjoy lower levels of criminal activity. Embassy employees and others have experienced skimming at well-known restaurants, hotels, and retailers. The National Human Rights Commission (CONADEH) reported two arbitrary or unlawful killings by security forces as of August. Only sealed commercial water containers (bottles) are considered safe to drink. The law requires overtime pay, bans excessive compulsory overtime, limits overtime to four hours a day for a maximum workday of 12 hours, and prohibits the practice of requiring workers to complete work quotas before leaving their place of employment. These deaths included several in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba involving U.S. citizens murdered shortly after arriving in the country. Criminal groups, including local and transnational gangs and narcotics traffickers, were significant perpetrators of violent crimes and committed acts of homicide, torture, kidnapping, extortion, human trafficking, intimidation, and other threats and violence directed against human rights defenders, judicial authorities, lawyers, business community members, journalists, bloggers, women, and other vulnerable populations. Also see the Department of States Trafficking in Persons Report at https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. The law does not cover domestic workers, the vast majority of whom were women.
OSAC Standards Bulletin - January 2022 | NIST The law requires prisoners to work at least five hours a day, six days a week. Mental-health professionals expressed concern regarding social stigma by families and communities against persons with mental disabilities and a lack of access to mental-health care throughout the country. 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 Western Hemisphere's deadliest countries for journalists, with security forces representing their biggest threat, Reporters Without Borders noted in 2021. Cable signal theft and counterfeit products are the most prevalent violations of intellectual property rights in Honduras. The law was not effectively enforced, and weak public institutional structures contributed to the inadequate enforcement. Although the law prohibits such practices, government officials received complaints and investigated alleged abuses by members of the security forces on the streets and in detention centers. Honduras lacks the infrastructure to maintain water purity and food safety. osac crime and safety report hondurasmary catherine o'shea daughter of virginia mayo. Air pollution can aggravate or lead to respiratory problems during the dry season due to widespread forest fires and agricultural burning. Travelers are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate health coverage while in Honduras. Credible observers noted problems in trial procedures, such as a lack of admissible evidence (i.e., prosecution failed to submit sufficient evidence of guilt), judicial corruption, witness intimidation, and an ineffective witness protection program. Former First Lady Rosa Elena Bonilla de Lobo was found guilty of fraud and misappropriation of public funds during a retrial on March 17. It also provides for paid national holidays and annual leave. Review OSACs report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. The violence is carried out by local drug trafficking groups, gangs, corrupt security forces and transnational criminal organizations mainly from Mexico and Colombia. Cruise lines and port agencies offer approved tour companies offering packages. They were, however, commensurate with penalties for violating laws related to civil rights, such as election interference. These reporting centers were in addition to the 298 government-operated womens offices one in each municipality that provided a wide array of services, focusing on education, personal finance, health, social and political participation, environmental stewardship, and prevention of gender-based violence. Coordinator for the Arctic Region, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Office of International Religious Freedom, Office of the Special Envoy To Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of the Science and Technology Adviser, Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, Bureau of Information Resource Management, Office of Management Strategy and Solutions, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. Roatn and the Bay Islands are geographically separate from the mainland and experience lower crime rates even when compared with other Caribbean islands. Some employers either refused to engage in collective bargaining or made it very difficult to do so. Birth Registration: Children derive citizenship by birth in the country, from the citizenship of their parents, or by naturalization. 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. Violence was often rooted in a broader context of conflict over land and natural resources, corruption, lack of transparency and community consultation, other criminal activity, and limited state ability to protect the rights of vulnerable communities. Its support focused on providing training to officers of the National Institute for Migration, ensuring support to deal with the backlog of asylum claims submitted during the COVID-19 lockdown, and supporting the improvement of reception conditions for asylum seekers. In July, police arrested two men. On July 14, alleged members of the MS-13 gang wearing antigang unit uniforms killed Said Lobo Bonilla, son of former President Porfirio Lobo, and three other persons in a targeted attack in Tegucigalpa. The Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required. The ambulance does not have paramedics or emergency medical equipment; it functions solely as transport to hospitals. Credit card skimming is common.
Honduras - United States Department of State The law provides for criminal penalties for corruption by officials, but authorities did not implement the law effectively, and officials continued to engage in corrupt practices with impunity. The law prohibits members of the armed forces and police, as well as certain other public employees, from forming labor unions. La Ceiba, Trujillo) and major hotels; other tourist installations have increased private and police security. 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), includingAtlntida, Coln, Corts, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, andYoro. The law does not permit active members of the military or civilian security forces to vote. Review OSACs report, Armed robberies, burglaries, vandalization, home invasions, and extortions occur; closely guarded officials, businesspersons, and diplomats are not immune. Honduras is a signatory to the International Labor Organizations. how to horizontally center a div in bootstrap. Airlines estimate that approximately 250,000 U.S. citizens flew into Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, or Roatn in 2019. On February 2, the National Congress passed a retroactive amnesty law that absolved public officials who worked during the Zelaya Administration (2006-09) of crimes. The U.S. Embassy strongly discourages intercity car and bus travel after dark. Media noted that family members often faced long delays or were unable to visit detainees. The National Prison Institute reported that as of October 13, the total prison population was 19,619 in 25 prisons and one detention center. The government failed to control pervasive gang-related violence and criminal activity within the prisons. About. Honduras has a long history of sustaining damage due to powerful tropical storms and hurricanes. Brown Follow Us: January 22, 2021 The Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required.
PDF Honduras 2018 Crime & Safety Report - WordPress.com 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. Even when traffic signals are working, drivers often ignore them. Title insurance is not widely available in Honduras and approximately 80% of the privately held land in the country is either untitled or improperly titled. Authorities continued to investigate the incident. The CDC offers additional information on vaccines and health guidance forHonduras.
Is the MS13 in Honduras Expanding its Role in the - InSight Crime Others reported direct acts of intimidation or threats of violence from government officials or supporters for publicly being critical of the government. Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology, Office of the U.S. Persons suspected of any of 21 specific felonies must remain in custody, pending the conclusion of judicial proceedings against them. The armed forces, which report to the Secretariat of Defense, are responsible for external security but also exercise some domestic security responsibilities in support of the national police and other civilian authorities.
Animals and people wander onto the roads. Country Summary: Violent crime, such as homicide, armed robbery, and kidnapping, is common. According to the Honduran National Police, there were 12 kidnappings reported nationwide during 2019.
Honduras Travel Advisory - United States Department of State The government is implementing similar programs for other locations (e.g. 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). The law provides citizens the right to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on nearly universal and equal suffrage. 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. Most women in the workforce engaged in lower-status and lower-paying informal occupations, such as domestic service, without the benefit of legal protections. Congressional Research Service - Honduras - 2019, 2020. Review OSACs report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System, The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tegucigalpa as being a. The trial on murder charges of Josu Exequiel Martnez, Siriaco Meja Santos, Francisco Lpez Lazo, and Mario Anbal Lpez Velsquez began on November 25. On June 20, the National Tribunal Court sentenced Roberto David Castillo Meja to more than 22 years in prison for his role as one of the alleged coauthors of her murder. The law prohibits employment discrimination based on gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, political opinion or affiliation, marital status, race or ethnicity, national origin, language, place of residence, religion, family or economic situation, disability, or health, including HIV or AIDS status. 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. Counterfeit Honduran lempiras (currency) are common, especially in the 100 and 500 denominations. The law grants prisoners the right to prompt access to a lawyer of their choice and, if indigent, to government-provided counsel, although the public defender mechanism was weak, and authorities did not always abide by these requirements. Impunity for such crimes was high. Traffic signs, even on major highways, are often inadequate; streets are often unmarked even in major cities. However, there can be communal tension over land ownership, natural resource allocation, and exploitation. Most crime victims are members of rival gangs, small business owners who resist gang extortion, passengers on public transportation, or those involved in land tenure disputes. Perdomo was charged with the February 2021 murder of Keyla Martnez in La Esperanza, Intibuc Department. On January 13, National Police officials in Trujillo, Coln Department, allegedly detained and tortured Luis Alberto Gutirrez and Leonard Brown, beating Gutirrez and Brown in the police station. No cases were reported during the year. This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa. The public transportation sector is a regular target of extortion, and experiences higher levels of homicide than many other sectors. 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. Gangs are not reluctant to use violence, and specialize in murder-for-hire, carjacking, extortion, and other violent street crime. Diarrheal illness is very common even in large cities and luxury accommodations. The San Pedro Sula area has seen armed robberies against tourist vans, minibuses, and cars traveling from the airport to area hotels. Indigenous and ethnic minority communities are frequently located in rural areas, which enjoy lower levels of criminal activity. -threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Violence and Harassment: On May 26, unknown assailants shot and killed Metro TV journalist Ricardo vila in Marcovia, Choluteca Department. Meanwhile, 59% reported having been assaulted at least once while a passenger in a taxi (. ) The government generally respected these provisions. The law permits workers in public health care, social security, staple food production, and public utilities (municipal sanitation, water, electricity, and telecommunications) to strike if they continue to provide basic services. Organized-crime organizations, such as drug traffickers and local and transnational gangs including MS-13 and the 18th Street gang, committed killings, extortion, kidnappings, human trafficking, and intimidation of police, prosecutors, journalists, women, and human rights defenders.