Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

1. Overview

According to sources, the population of Honduras is approximately 10 million people (US 31 Mar. 2020, 3; World Bank 17 June 2022). Sources estimate that there are 7,000–10,000 gang members (US 31 Mar. 2020, 3) or 5,000 to 40,000 "active" gang members in Honduras (HRW 13 Jan. 2022). Sources indicate that Barrio 18 and MS-13 "are the most active and powerful" gangs (US 31 Mar. 2020, 3), or the "two main street gangs" (Bertelsmann Stiftung 2022, 6), or the "primary gangs" in Honduras, "which operate mainly in urban areas" such as Tegucigalpa or San Pedro Sula, or "in rural areas close to the border with El Salvador" (InSight Crime 15 Feb. 2021).

InSight Crime, a think tank and media organization that provides "reporting, analysis, data, investigation, and policy suggestions" on organized crime and security in the Americas (InSight Crime n.d.), notes that MS-13 and Barrio 18 engage in "micro-trafficking and maintain an important control within the country's penitentiaries" (InSight Crime 15 Feb. 2021). Sources state that MS-13 and Barrio 18 are engaged in extortion (US 31 Mar. 2020, 3; HRW 13 Jan. 2022, 2; InSight Crime 15 Feb. 2021), "murder-for-hire, carjacking," and "other violent street crime" (US 31 Mar. 2020, 3). A report on gangs, violence, and extortion in northern Central America by Pamela Ruiz, an "independent consultant advising on northern Central American criminal governance, migration and the rule of law," and published by the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center at Florida International University (FIU), states that the municipalities in Honduras with the "highest average extortion" rate per 10,000 residents are San Pedro Sula (4.10), La Ceiba (3.48), La Esperanza (3.30), Comayagua (2.18), Distrito Central-Tegucigalpa (1.69), Roatán (1.39), Santa Rosa de Copan (1.29), Tela (1.25), Puerto Cortes (1.09), and Siguatepeque (1.04) (Ruiz Jan. 2022, 2, 14).

Sources report that while Honduras has "reduced its homicide rate by half since 2011, it remains one of the world's highest" (HRW 13 Jan. 2022), or that the "homicide rate has declined notably over the last decade, but violent crime and gang violence remain serious problems" (Freedom House 28 Feb. 2022, Sec. F3). According to sources, the homicide rate is 44.8 per 100,000 residents as of 2019 (HRW 13 Jan. 2022), or 39 per 100,000 residents in 2021, with "[m]ore than 3,600 people" killed (Freedom House 28 Feb. 2022, Sec. F3).

2. Criminal Groups in Roatán

According to Circle of Health International (COHI), an international humanitarian organization based in the US that works to provide reproductive and maternal healthcare (COHI n.d.a), Roatán is a "small" island in Honduras with a population of approximately 115,000 people (COHI n.d.b).

Sources note that Roatán "experience[s] lower crime rates even when compared with other Caribbean islands" (US 31 Mar. 2020, 3) or that "overall crime rates" on Roatán "seem to be lower than in most of Honduras" (Associate Professor of IR 19 Oct. 2022). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an associate professor of international relations (IR) at the University of São Paulo who focuses on violence and corruption in Honduras indicated that tourists are the targets of "most" crimes in Roatán (Associate Professor of IR 19 Oct. 2022). The Government of Canada's travel advice for Honduras indicates that "robbers have targeted homes and long-term leased residences" in Roatán (Canada 3 Nov. 2022). In an interview with the Research Directorate, an assistant professor of security studies at New Jersey City University who focuses on gangs, organized crime, and drug trafficking in northern Central America stated that in general, Roatán is a "safe and quiet place" that is considered a "safe haven" from gangs, including MS-13 and Barrio 18 (Assistant Professor of security studies 13 Oct. 2022).

In an interview with the Research Directorate, an independent researcher based in the US whose work focuses on MS-13 and Barrio 18 in northern Central America indicated that there are "very rare cases" of criminal groups in Roatán, and that there is no recent published information regarding a presence of MS-13 or Barrio 18 on the island (Independent researcher 17 Oct. 2022). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Toronto who focuses on violence and transnational gangs in Latin America stated that MS-13 and Barrio 18 have a presence in Roatán, but on "a small scale," and that the island is a "refuge" for gang members and leaders who are evading the police and/or rival gang members (Assistant Professor of political science 16 Oct. 2022). The Associate Professor of IR noted that MS-13 and Barrio 18 "operate mostly" in mainland Honduras, and that there is "no concrete evidence of their organized presence [in] Roatán" (Associate Professor of IR 19 Oct. 2022).

3. Whether Individuals Are Tracked by Criminal Groups in Roatán

Sources indicated that criminal groups are able to track individuals who move from mainland Honduras to Roatán by monitoring social media networks (Independent researcher 17 Oct. 2022; Assistant Professor of political science 16 Oct. 2022). Sources further noted that individuals can be found through "sightings on the street" (Independent researcher 17 Oct. 2022) or by word of mouth since Roatán is "very small" (Assistant Professor of political science 16 Oct. 2022). The Associate Professor of IR stated that "[p]ersonal networks are tight and strong," which makes it possible for criminal groups to "'follow' the movements of particular people" (Associate Professor of IR 19 Oct. 2022). According to the Assistant Professor of political science, individuals "more likely to be tracked" are current or former gang members (Assistant Professor of political science 16 Oct. 2022). The independent researcher noted that gangs track individuals who have "important information" about the gang, or if the individual has "violated gang rules" (Independent researcher 17 Oct. 2022). The Associate Professor of IR stated that individuals who have betrayed or "tried to leave" gangs "have been tracked down and killed, both inside and outside Honduras" (Associate Professor of IR 19 Oct. 2022).

Information on cases of individuals being tracked by criminal groups in Roatán could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Assistant Professor of political science, University of Toronto. 16 October 2022. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Assistant Professor of security studies, New Jersey City University. 13 October 2022. Interview with the Research Directorate.

Associate Professor of international relations (IR), Universidade de São Paulo. 19 October 2022. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Bertelsmann Stiftung. 2022. "Honduras Country Report." Bertelsmann Stiftung's Transformation Index (BTI) 2022. [Accessed 5 Oct. 2022]

Canada. 3 November 2022. Travel.gc.ca. "Honduras Travel Advice." [Accessed 4 Nov. 2022]

Circle of Health International (COHI). N.d.a. "COHI's Values." [Accessed 4 Nov. 2022]

Circle of Health International (COHI). N.d.b. "Roatan, Honduras." [Accessed 4 Nov. 2022]

Freedom House. 28 February 2022. "Honduras." Freedom in the World 2022. [Accessed 5 Oct. 2022]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 13 January 2022. "Honduras." World Report 2022: Events of 2021. [Accessed 5 Oct. 2022]

Independent researcher, United States (US). 17 October 2022. Interview with the Research Directorate.

InSight Crime. 15 February 2021. "Honduras Profile." [Accessed 5 Oct. 2022]

InSight Crime. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 5 Oct. 2022]

Ruiz, Pamela. January 2022. Gangs, Violence, and Extortion in Northern Central America. Florida International University (FIU). [Accessed 5 Oct. 2022]

United States (US). 31 March 2020. Department of State, Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC). Honduras 2020 Crime & Safety Report. [Accessed 5 Oct. 2022]

World Bank. 17 June 2022. "World Bank Supports Strengthening Health Emergency Preparedness and Reducing Vulnerability in Honduras." [Accessed 17 Oct. 2022]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: assistant professor at a Canadian university who focuses on MS-13 in Central America; assistant professor at an American university who focuses on illicit economies in Latin America; assistant professor at an American university who focuses on violence and crime in Mexico and Central America; assistant professor at an American university who focuses on violence, transnational illicit economies, mass incarceration, and security in the Americas; associate professor at an American university who focuses on organized criminal violence and policing in Latin America; associate professor at an American university who focuses on organized violence, armed groups, drug cartels, prison gangs, and paramilitaries in Latin America; associate professor at an American university who focuses on political and criminal violence, and drug trade and crime in Latin America; Cristosal; director of research at an American university who focuses on criminal violence, gangs, and police in Latin America; German Institute for Global and Area Studies; Inter-American Dialogue; International Crisis Group; lecturer at a university in the UK who focuses on gang violence and hate crime in Latin America; professor at an American university who focuses on citizen security, human rights, and violence in Latin America; professor at an American university who focuses on peacebuilding and conflict in Central America; professor at an American university who focuses on political and criminal violence, and transitional justice in Latin America; professor at an American university who focuses on security and politics in Latin America and the Caribbean; research associate at a German research institute who focuses on conflict, urban violence and peace, security and border areas, and illegal markets in Latin America; researcher at a German university who focuses on violence, crime, public security, urban violence, youth gangs, and youth violence in Central America; researcher at an American university who focuses on violence and transnational gangs in Latin America; senior fellow at a Caribbean university who focuses on regional security issues; UN – UNICEF; visiting fellow at a university in the UK who focuses on street gangs and drug policy in Latin America; Wilson Center.

Internet sites, including: Al Jazeera; Amnesty International; Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project; Australia – Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Austrian Red Cross – ecoi.net; BBC; Belgium – Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons; Borgen Project; Brookings Institution; Canal 8; CARE International; Caymanian Times; Center for Strategic and International Studies; Compañía Broadcasting Centroamericana Canal 6; Council on Foreign Relations; Criterio.hn; Departamento19; Diálogo Américas; Diario Roatán; El Español; El Heraldo; El Libertador; El País; El Patriota; EU – EU Agency for Asylum; Fédération internationale pour les droits humains; France – Office français de protection des réfugiés et apatrides; Germany – Federal Office for Migration and Refugees; Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime; The Guardian; HCH; Hondudiario; Honduras en sus Manos; Institute for War and Peace Reporting; International Crisis Group; INTERPOL; La Prensa; La Tribuna; Netherlands – Ministry of Foreign Affairs; The New Humanitarian; Norway – Landinfo; Norwegian Refugee Council – Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre; Noticias 24/7; Noticiero Sercano; Organization of American States – Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; Organisation suisse d'aide aux réfugiés; Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project; Proceso Digital; Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; Radio HRN; Reporters sans frontières; Resumen Latinoamericano; Televicentro; Tiempo; Transparency International; UK – Home Office; UN – Human Rights Council, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office on Drugs and Crime, Refworld, UNDP, UNHCR, UN Women; Washington Office on Latin America; US – Library of Congress, US Agency for International Development; Wilson Center.