HONDURAS - Roatan, another murder in paradise

[El Pelon]

The last big meeting about security on the island that I attended was in December. The governor of the Bay Islands, Mayor of Roatan, Police Chief of Roatan, and some lady from the Security Ministry out of Tegucigalpa were the panel speakers. About 200 folks from the island were present.

All the residents in attendance (mainly expats and islanders) were ticked off at the deterioration of security and many aired their grievances (an expat had her throat cut and nearly died a few weeks before the meeting so security threats were fresh in everyone's mind). Many of the islanders and expats suggested that the mainlanders (referred to as "the Spanish") be kicked off the island and sent back to the mainland. They were then reminded that the islands are part of Honduras and that wasn't going to happen. I honestly think it was the first time many people fully realized they were in a part of Honduras and there was no way to separate the islands from the rest of the country.

The details from the officials are many, but the reality of the take home message was that nothing was going to be done. The government in Tegucigalpa has enough trouble dealing with the rampant violence on the mainland (the army was called into the streets a few days ago to help the cops...something that happens every so often when the murders per day get too high for even Honduran tolerances) and the problems on Roatan don't hold a candle to the rest of Honduras. The local government won't do anything and the federal government has bigger problems.

That December night there were many people who began to realize that the new reality was upon them.

When you talk about the murder on the home invasion, if it is the fellow I think it is, I believe you are talking about an individual who behaved in such a way that his risk exposure went up dramatically and his demise was predictable.

Cobras on the island - it's not always what it looks like in the brochure.

People in law enforcement involved - why would anyone think that?

[wagner92]

Hey El Pelon, thanks for your posting describing the security meeting in December and your knowledgeable assumptions that nothing will be done. Sounds like you are very well informed on the situation in Roatan. I see also you're obviously being facetious when you say "people in law enforcement involved - why would anyone think that". Ok, I get it, it's seriously corrupt, right? That's your point. But what is the level of involvement? Are you saying it's individual corruption or goes all the way to the top, mayor, police chief, security ministry? Maybe it is common knowledge that they are all corrupt, I don't know. Do you? Perhaps you do. But I do think there is a line between being corrupt and making your few dollars AND in the menatime killing the island's tourist trade entirely. And I do think that is seriously what is at stake here. I can't tell you how much I'm starting to hear out there about these robberies and violence, including recently a boater on Guanaja who was robbed on his boat in the middle of the night.

You mention the cobras are not always what it looks like in the brochure. Is this something you want to elaborate on, something that shouldn't be mentioned here, take it off the message board in private? What do you mean exactly? They are corrupt as well? I did hear of a situation where cobras were brought in and people were arrested. Was it for show maybe?

Honestly, excuse me if I am coming off as naive but I am kind of new to discussions about the situation in Honduras. And I respect the knowledge that you already have and the experiences you have lived. You seem to have a good handle on the sitution there and know what can and can't be done...and what will and won't be done. Thanks for reading and replying, man.

[soulohio]

man, and I thought Medellín had some problems...

A Brit was killed here in a robbery here about 6 weeks ago (attempt to take a gold chain by a sicario on a moto), and gawd willing- there have been waves caused by the British. America just sends their men and money, and we all know what that is worth in coin of the realm...money lasts, blood- not so much.

Last August we had a good old fashioned Colombian comuna bloodletting...bodies in the street, open gang warfare, cops cordoning the neighborhoods (no in and out- including the pobrecitos that needed to leave for work on the MetroCable) and a unique de-compression technique- Juanes played a free concert in Comuna Trece. That may have done as much as anything to let everybody know that there was a problem in some of the Comunas circling Medellín and the outer barrio Paisas needed to chill out.

El Pelon, te saluto. Good info you posted on personal security.