Those planning travel to Gracias a Dios should consider postponing their travel. You can add more than one country or area. The Honduran National Police wear blue uniforms, while the PMOP normally wear green camouflage. Contraception supplies were limited, as were many other critical medicines, due to the governments dismantling of its public health procurement system in May. Enforcement of OSH standards was particularly weak in the construction, garment assembly, and agricultural sectors, as well as in the informal economy. 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. The government has also begun implementing a series of police reforms; it has formed groups such as the National Inter-Agency Security Task Force (FUSINA) and the National Anti-Gang Task Force (FNAMP) to combat crime. Authorities did not generally segregate those with tuberculosis or other infectious diseases from the general prison population. Abuse of Migrants and Refugees: Transiting migrants, forcibly displaced populations, and asylum seekers with pending cases were vulnerable to abuse and sexual exploitation by criminal organizations. Many activists report that crimes committed against the LGBTI+ community go unpunished. The law provides for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, and the government generally respected these related rights. Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government, Section 5. The Ministries of Security and of Defense both have human rights offices that coordinate human rights-related activities with the Secretariat of Human Rights. Both the secretariat and the commission focused on developing policies to address IDPs. Review the State Departments webpage on security for LGBTI+ travelers. As of August, CONADEH received 25 reports of discrimination based on sexual orientation. There were no reports of antisemitic acts. Publishing or Cruise lines and port agencies offer approved tour companies offering packages. The law provides for the right to a fair and public trial; however, the judiciary did not always enforce these rights. NGOs reported gangs engaged in corrective rape of lesbian or transgender individuals. Involuntary or Coercive Medical or Psychological Practices Specifically Targeting LGBTQI+ Individuals: There were no reports of unnecessary surgeries performed on intersex persons. The Secretariat of Human Rights served as an advocate for human rights within the government. Honduras - United States Department of State The constitution provides for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and the government generally respected these rights. Observers noted this effort was insufficient due to inadequate budget allocations, limited or no services in rural areas, absence of or inadequate training about and awareness of domestic violence among police and other authorities, and male-dominant culture and norms. The legal age of consent is 18. Review OSACs report, All That You Should Leave Behind. 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. . Reports of kidnappings of U.S. citizens are not common, with zero reports for 2019. There are no known international terrorist groups operating in Honduras. Latest Posts. 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. 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. Is the MS13 in Honduras Expanding its Role in the - InSight Crime HMCs lab was reviewed by the Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist and found to be up to U.S. standards and quality assurance practices. In 2019 (most recent data), 94 percent of births were attended by skilled health-care personnel; however, NGOs reported significant gaps in obstetric care, especially in rural areas. The law does not cover domestic workers, the vast majority of whom were women. Those traveling with tour/missionary groups report fewer criminal incidents. The government attempted to enhance its response to domestic violence by elevating the National Womens Institute to a cabinet-level secretariat in March. 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 . Honduras lacks the infrastructure to maintain water purity and food safety. International observers generally recognized the elections as free and fair. The law prohibits workers from legally striking until direct negotiations and government-accompanied mediation and conciliation have failed. The law permits fines, and the penalty is commensurate with those for other laws involving denials of civil rights, such as discrimination. The Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required. Victims were primarily impoverished individuals in both rural and urban areas (see section 7.c.). Counterfeit products are predominately but not solely in the pharmaceutical and apparel industries. Review OSACs reports, There are an estimated 7,000-10,000 gang members in a country with an approximate population of ten million people. NGOs also reported the government did not make sufficient efforts to comply with Inter-American Court of Human Rights rulings, specifically cases related to territorial rights for Garfuna communities. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining, b. Diarrheal illness is very common even in large cities and luxury accommodations. Cable signal theft and counterfeit products are the most prevalent violations of intellectual property rights in Honduras. The governments National Policy to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination seeks to promote equality and combat discrimination related to the countrys two Afro-descendent and seven Indigenous groups (see below), with a focus on social and political participation; access to education, health care, justice, and employment opportunities; and rights to ancestral lands and natural resources. Sexual Harassment: The law criminalizes sexual harassment, including in employment, and stipulates penalties of one to three years in prison and possible suspension of the abusers professional licenses. Land title procedures have been an issue leading to investment disputes involving U.S. nationals who are landowners. Members of the LGBTI+ community have reported violent assaults because of gender identity and sexual orientation. The law prohibits the use of children younger than 18 for exhibitions or performances of a sexual nature or in the production of pornography. In addition, the law limits strikes in a wide range of sectors that the government designates as essential services or that it considers would affect the rights of individuals in the larger community to security, health, education, and economic and social well-being. Find contact information for available medical services and available air ambulance services on the U.S. Embassy/Consulate, Travelers are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate health coverage while in Honduras. Avoid traveling at night and always drive with doors locked and windows rolled up to deter potential robberies at traffic lights and on congested downtown streets. 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. Although Honduras has made some progress, many perceive the property registration system as unreliable and a constraint on investment, particularly in the Bay Islands. Media noted that family members often faced long delays or were unable to visit detainees. 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. Review OSACs report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System, The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tegucigalpa as being a. Honduras Is the Most Violent Country in Central America 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. Review OSACs 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. Local police and emergency services lack sufficient resources to respond effectively to serious crime. The Embassy cannot secure the release or act as legal representation for any U.S. citizen. Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology, Office of the U.S. Political, Economic, Religious, and Ethnic Violence. 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. Honduras 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Report Since 2010, there have been approximately 60 murders of U.S. citizens reported in Honduras. Indigenous and ethnic minority communities are frequently located in rural areas, which enjoy lower levels of criminal activity. Official data on forced displacement, especially displacement due to violence, was limited in part because gangs controlled many of the neighborhoods where individuals were forced from their homes and communities (see section 6, Displaced Children). 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. OSAC 2022-S-0024, Best Practice Recommendations for Evaluative Forensic DNA Testimony. In April 2019, one or more individuals attempted a surreptitious breach of perimeter fencing at a U.S. Embassy residence. Journalists and other members of civil society reported they were self-censoring due to fear of criticism, harassment, and retribution by the government and its supporters. Violence against women, the other pandemic impacting Honduras See the Department of States Trafficking in Persons Report at https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. In March 2019, the Honduran Government created the National Urban Transportation Security Force to combat extortion and other crimes perpetrated by gangs. The government allocated a budget of 20 million lempiras ($796,000) to operate a protection mechanism for journalists, human rights defenders, and judicial sector operators. 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. 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. Those traveling with tour/missionary groups report fewer criminal incidents. Overseas Security Advisory Council - Homepage - U.S. Embassy La Ceiba, Trujillo) and major hotels; other tourist installations have increased private and police security. The police generally treat detained foreigners well. Congressional Research Service - Honduras - 2019, 2020. The four were accused of the 2020 killing of Flix Vsquez, leader of the Union of Field Workers, a member of the Lenca community, an environmental activist, and a LIBRE Party candidate for Congress. The reported killings took place during law enforcement operations or were linked to criminal activity by government agents. NGOs reported the government did not effectively combat discrimination or promote equal access to government services and employment opportunities. NOTE: OSAC RESOURCE TASK GROUP (RTG . OSAC Crime and Safety Report - Honduras (updated March 2020) Copan, Honduras Pre-Trip Guide with student-generated content Jordan Your Guide to Jordan ISC with student-generated content Amman, Jordan Pre-trip Guide with student-generated content Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Section 1. 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. OSAC 2022-N-0025, Standard for Initial Response at Scenes by Scene Investigators. 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. Prisoners can submit complaints through a lawyer that may emerge from an NGO before the Public Ministry. For more information, please visit OSAC.gov . 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. The Secretariat of Labor may levy a fine against companies that fail to pay social security obligations, but the amount was not sufficient to deter violations. Same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex married couples. It also provides for paid national holidays and annual leave. 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 government has an Office for Persons with Disabilities located within the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion, but its ability to provide services to persons with disabilities was limited. These tensions have resulted in intense protests and violence. The most recent national and local elections were held in November 2021. Persons suspected of any of 21 specific felonies must remain in custody, pending the conclusion of judicial proceedings against them. On May 30, protesters blocked several main avenues in Tegucigalpa, including access to Toncontn International Airport (TGU). Employers frequently penalized agricultural workers for taking legally authorized days off. The law does not permit active members of the military or civilian security forces to vote. The San Pedro Sula area has seen armed robberies against tourist vans, minibuses, and cars traveling from the airport to area hotels. Do not travel to Gracias a Dios Department due to crime. Honduras requires proof of Yellow Fever immunization if coming from another country endemic with Yellow Fever. The U.S. Embassy strongly discourages intercity car and bus travel after dark. Campbell, who had been on the run for five years after being charged with money laundering in Honduras, was arrested in June 2021 in Nicaragua. Violent transnational criminal organizations are also involved in narcotics trafficking and other illicit commerce. The San Pedro Sula area has seen armed robberies against tourist vans, minibuses, and cars traveling from the airport to area hotels. ; these are generally safer areas in which to reside because of their heightened security measures. The final verdict was pending a constitutional appeal. otherwise distributing OSAC-derived information in a manner inconsistent with this policy may result in the discontinuation of OSAC support. Although the country experiences one of its lowest homicide rates in the last decade, authorities recorded 3,496 violent . Occupational Safety and Health: Occupational safety and health (OSH) standards are appropriate for the main industries in the country, and OSH experts actively identified unsafe conditions, including lack of personal protective equipment against COVID-19, in addition to responding to workers OSH complaints. 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. Review OSACs reports, Hotels: The Inns and Outs and Considerations for Hotel Security. Failure to register resulted in denial of public services, including access to health services or school enrollment. Persons with disabilities, Indigenous and Afro-descendant persons, LGBTQI+ persons, and persons with HIV or AIDS also faced discrimination in employment and occupation (also see section 6). Access to Asylum: The law provides for granting asylum or refugee status. On April 28, the National Congress repealed the 2014 hourly wage law, thus bringing all employees under the national labor code and eliminating the previous differences in labor benefits between hourly, temporary, and permanent employees. Children, including from Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, particularly Miskito boys, were at risk for forced labor in the agriculture, manufacturing, fishing, mining, construction, and hospitality industries. There are claims of widespread corruption in land sales, deed filing, and dispute resolution, including claims against attorneys, real estate companies, judges, and local officials. Honduras is a signatory to the International Labor Organizations. 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. 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. Observers noted several significant improvements in transparency procedures, including electoral reforms, an updated voter registry, new national identification cards, and new technologies that included a biometric verification system and a preliminary results transmission system. Prisoners suffered from gross overcrowding; insufficient access to food, water, and medical supplies; violence; and alleged abuse by prison officials. The Secretariat of Labor and Social Security also requires that union leaders be employed under permanent contracts, limiting the ability of seasonal agricultural workers to exercise their right to freedom of association. Honduran law requires access to buildings for persons with disabilities; however, there are limited facilities for individuals with disabilities. The sentencing hearing was scheduled for January 2023. Some NGOs and political parties 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. 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. Gracias a Diosis a remote location where narcotics trafficking is frequent, infrastructure is weak, government services are limited, and police/military presence is scarce. Download the State Departments Crime Victims Assistance brochure. These deaths included several in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba involving U.S. citizens murdered shortly after arriving in the country. There were no reports of this law being used to limit womens employment. Country-specific Vaccination and Health Guidance. 03 / Select Countries You can add more than one country or area. Airlines estimate that approximately 250,000 U.S. citizens flew into Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, or Roatn in 2019. However, there can be communal tension over land ownership, natural resource allocation, and exploitation. Persons with HIV and AIDS continued to be targets of discrimination, and they suffered disproportionately from gender-based violence. The Directorate of Disciplinary Police Affairs investigated abuses by police forces. 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). The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing international health insurance before traveling internationally. Animals and people wander onto the roads. The law prohibits employers from requiring pregnancy tests as a prerequisite for employment. This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa. Civil unrest in Tegucigalpa and other parts of Honduras remains a constant challenge. 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. Only sealed commercial water containers (bottles) are considered safe to drink. There are no known international terrorist groups operating in Honduras. These tensions have resulted in intense protests and violence. Transiting migrants, refugees, and other vulnerable populations continued to face acute security risks in border zones. 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. 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 were credible complaints that police occasionally failed to obtain the required authorization before entering private homes. The media also engaged in self-censorship to avoid losing lucrative advertising contracts with the government. There is street crime even in gated communities commonly referred to locally as. 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. While hurricane winds are a concern, much of the damage to infrastructure comes as a result of the ensuing flooding and rock/mudslides. CONADEH reported 31 cases of alleged torture or cruel and inhuman treatment by security forces through August, while the Public Ministry received 10 such reports through July. About. Criminal groups, 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, human rights defenders, and others.
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