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| San Pedro Sula, Honduras, has the highest murder rate in the world. Image: Shutterstock |
Latin American country
Honduras, in particular the city of San Pedro Sula, is suffering from the
highest rate of murder reported globally.
The city is estimated to have 65,000 gang members, hundreds of whom are
over-crowding the country’s jails. The
Honduran government has little resources to battle the growing problem, and
many say that because the United States and Mexico expel drug cartels from
their borders, violent offenders are moving south into poorer countries.
One of the two main rival
gangs, in fact, was started in Los Angeles.
The “Calle 18,” or 18th Street Gang, has thousands of members
who were deported from the California city, once plagued with gang violence
itself. 18th Street and rival
gang Mara Salvatrucha have been at territorial war for several years.
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| Gangs in San Pedro Sula are calling for a cease fire. Image: Shutterstock |
Gangs have infiltrated police forces and the
criminal justice system in Honduras, and as of now only about 2 of every 100
criminal cases ends in a conviction.
Meanwhile, average citizens of Honduras are squeezed financially by the
gangs forcing them to pay “taxes” for traveling around the city or running a
business. San Pedro Sula alone reported over 1,200 murders last year.
In a country where gang
members can hold press conferences, there is now discussion of a truce in the
world’s murder capital. Representatives
from both gangs have called a cease fire, but have also asked the government to
help gang members rehabilitate and find honest work. This may promising as the Honduran economy
continues to grow, in spite of concerns about crime and a weak government. The agricultural industry is strong, and
several factories have moved in. In El
Salvador, a truce for the gangs was called a little over a year ago and has
reduced the murder rate by fifty percent.
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