AP's Honduras correspondent navigates violent land

WPXI.COM ^ | Dec. 30, 2012 | Alberto Arce

[BobL]

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras —

Every Saturday morning, one of my taxi drivers pays about $12 for the right to park his cab near a hospital, about two blocks from a police station.

But it's not the government that's charging.

An unidentified man pulls up in a large SUV, usually brandishing an AK-47, and accepts an envelope of cash without saying a word. Jose and nine other drivers who pay the extortionists estimate that it amounts to more than $500 a year to park on public property. During Christmas, the cabbies dish out another $500 each in holiday "bonuses."

Meanwhile, Jose pays the city $30 a year for his taxi license.

"Who do you think is really in charge here?" Jose asked me.

It is an interesting question, one I have been trying to answer since I arrived here a year ago as a correspondent for The Associated Press. Is the government in charge? The drug traffickers? The gangs? This curious capital of 1.3 million people is a lawless place, but it does seem to have its own set of unwritten rules for living with the daily dangers.

[BobL]

While we rightly beat up on the media day after day for many reasons, sometimes it's worth stepping back and admiring their bravery (rare as it is). In this case, this guy has been living in Honduras for 2 years with his family...getting around and reporting on the nightmare in that country - the country that leads the world in the murder rate and makes Mexico looks like a tropical paradise in comparison. He is also the only foreign reporter in that country - a country where 24 domestic reporters were killed in just the past 2 years.

Here are a few of his pictures (and they're not pretty):

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/crime/articleGallery/AP-s-Honduras-correspondent-navigates-violent-land-4155422.php#photo-3962256

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

Every Saturday morning, one of my taxi drivers pays about $12 for the right to park his cab near a hospital, about two blocks from a police station.

They've got thugs and we have government agencies and public employee unions. I fail to see the difference.

[BobL]

“They’ve got thugs and we have government agencies and public employee unions. I fail to see the difference. “

We haven’t hit their level of violence, yet. But we are going that way. I’d like to know their gun laws...

[waredbird]

These cabbies are getting off cheap. Twice a year I get a request from the county government to pay them over $3000 or they will sell my land (totally paid for) to someone who will pay the extortion money.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

We haven’t hit their level of violence, yet.

We are more civilized. From the article:

Last month, she was on her way to deposit her Avon earnings in the bank when a robber pointed a knife at her waist and told her to hand over the cash. He took 5,000 lempiras — about $250 — which was everything she had earned, including the money she owed Avon.

Here in California, a cop can say that you rolled through a right turn on red without a full stop and you'll be out $500. Try to fight it, and you'll miss a day of work and the 'commissioner' will take the word of the cop over you, then charge you more for the gall of trying to fight. It's all the same.

[BobL]

Ping. I saw you live down there...maybe chime in if you’re around.

[TigersEye]

They've got thugs and we have government agencies and public employee unions. I fail to see the difference.

We voluntarily vote to have it done to us.

[BobL]

“Here in California, a cop can say that you rolled through a right turn on red without a full stop and you’ll be out $500.”

Still not as bad. First, $500 here is a LOT LESS than $250 there. But more importantly, the cameras are now OFF in Los Angeles (and Houston, where I live). The people spoke. 95% of the camera tickets were for just what you say. Now the pigs need to spend more time. And if they have dash-cams, they can be fought.

Still not as bad as there.

[chulaivn66]

Next step? No blue-stained finger for our candidate no meal ticket!

[Hot Tabasco]

My brother-in-law, who is an oncologist here in S.E. Michigan, is from Honduras. Almost every year he, my sister and their family would vacation at Tela Mar and he he would bring his Honduran family out to join us.

I've joined them on many vacations and they were absolutely wonderful times down there.

Approx. 3 years ago, his niece's son disappeared along with two of his best friends, never to be found.......

The two friends were from a wealthy family and always traveled with a hired security guard. On the day Jose' disappeared, he was picked up by his buddies who were on their way to a house they were newly renting out to a Mexican couple. (???)

Upon their arrival, a van pulled up with armed gunmen and ordered Jose', his two friends and the Mexican couple into a van, leaving the armed security guard behind, and they drove off. None of them were ever seen again........ It's suspected that the security guard was in on the kidnapping and I don't know what came of that........

All of my BIL's niece's daughters have come to the states (LEGALLY) and married. His half brother Mario, who was a successful businessman, has fled the country and taken up residence in Texas.

My BIL has a prime piece of ocean property in Trujillo which he purchased years ago with plans to build a summer home for all the family to visit. That's all gone down the drain, he swears he will never return again due to all the out of control crime that is going on there. Drugs, kidnappings and extortion are rampant and there is nothing the government can do about it.........

As a side note, the last time I was there, which was approx. 2003, several blocks away from the hotel we were temporarily staying in, gunmen boarded a bus and open fired on all the people in it. Evidently there was a war going on between competing bus companies..........just plain crazy!

[Hot Tabasco]

I’d like to know their gun laws...

Almost every male carries.......

[Altura Ct.]

It’s a good thing our borders are wide open.

[BobL]

“Almost every male carries....... “

Not legally. I found a site that said the rate of ownership was 6 guns per 100 people. I’d expect the rate of carrying to be quite a bit less than that.

[BobL]

Wow, quite a story...but more typical than not. Sorry for the loss, that’s just horrible.

And yes, it does look like a really nice place to visit, if it were safe.

[45semi]

Same same...just wrote the checks today so they are dated this year.
Could have bought a nice used car every year with what I just pay the county.
They used to put a pie chart on the back explaining how your property taxes were spent.
They quit after the uproar when people saw that almost 70% went to 'social services'...aka...welfare.
At least thats what welfare is called in this county.

[GeronL]

if we legalize it, the problem will go away. lol

[Hot Tabasco]

Not legally. I found a site that said the rate of ownership was 6 guns per 100 people. I’d expect the rate of carrying to be quite a bit less than that.

You're reading from a website, I'm talking from experience. Legal or not, the majority of male Hondurans carry handguns. Not from a perceived threat of violence but from the reality of violence.......

There's a reason why all the wealthy families now hire security guards to not only protect their homes but to accompany them wherever they go.

And for those who would not be considered wealthy but merely "middle class", they carry firearms.........

[BobL]

I won’t argue it too much with you. I didn’t realize your background when I posted. But yes, anyone with money definitely has to hire protectors - and hope to hell those protectors don’t have their own kids taken, for access to them.

It’s a friggen mess and very, very, sad.

[Arlis]

“.. It’s suspected that the security guard was in on the kidnapping and I don’t know what came of that........”

While Nicaragua is much safer, having one of your guards bought by the bad guys is common through all of Latin America. Almost no way to check
out your guards.

Experienced in Central & South America..

[Salvavida]

I'm Honduran-American, and I can tell you that 6 per 100 is pretty realistic. The 6 will come from money. An average citizen can get a permit for a gun, but that is going to take a lawyer; but that isn't the real problem:

1. If you shoot in self-defense, the archaic laws will put you in custody until it is determined you were in the right. A body cannot even be moved until a Magistrate gives the authority to do so. By that time, the gangs will already know who you are, and who your family is. THEY WILL KILL YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY TREE. Then, when you get out of custody, they kill you.

2. There is no militia culture in Honduras, and has never been, so refrain from looking at their problem through gringo eyes. It doesn't work.

Nothing short of the Honduran Congress declaring gangs a terrorist group will win this. That way, the full weight of the military could be brought to bear. It would have to be a war similar to that which took place during the Maduro administration (2001) will work. Of course, Maduro didn't follow through, and screwed it up by bowing to international pressure to make a peace with the gangs: because international groups protested against the lack of due process, making their argument a "human rights" issue.