Escaping Paradise. The plight of the Honduran people.

Honduras is a Central American country with beautiful beaches, a biosphere reserve, and enough natural resources to be a mecca of ecotourism in Central America. The Roatan Islands in the Caribbean Sea have for a long time been a secret garden for many that wished to dislodge from the stress of big cities demands. But why is it that such a beautiful paradise can’t retain its people but instead ship them out to a country that refuse to accept them at its border?

Violence in paradise

Honduras has been plagued by a wave of violence that has displaced over 190,000 of its citizens (CIA.gov) many of whom have sought asylum in the United States. More recently, Hondurans took center stage when on July 2, 2018 Times magazine published the picture of a Honduran girl crying while her mother was being arrested by U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) officers.

The lack of jobs and opportunities in Honduras created a vacuum that was quickly filled by gangs and other criminals. Corruption at all levels of government is also rampant. While visiting Honduras I always felt the most at risk when confronted by police and military officials many of whom were poorly trained and lack the most basic skills like reading and writing.

Stories of entire families killed by gang violence are not uncommon in Honduras. I too experienced the death of a close friend at the hands of gang members. People experience being robbed at gunpoint while riding the bus home as normal… “Me toco hoy” (“It was my turn today”) was a common cry when announcing of being robbed of the weekly salary which is an average of $45 USD a month.

A path of hope

The lack of jobs, opportunities, and low salaries plus the rampant corruption at all levels of government is the driving reason for Hondurans leaving their country for better pastures. Those pastures are in the United States even when they are not welcomed. For these immigrants It takes an average of three months to travel by land from Honduras to the Mexico-United States border. During the trip to the US many of the women and girls are raped and men and boys fall prey to narcos and gang members in Guatemala and Mexico. Some of my friends never heard again from their family members after they started their trip to the US. They just disappear forever, their stories never completed, or dreams never fulfilled.

Yet, risking their lives is better than staying in paradise. Suffering rejection and finding themselves lost and without a home is better than living in a constant state of worry because you never know if you, your spouse or your kids will make it home after leaving to school or work. Hope for a better future is what entices mothers to send their kids by themselves on such risky trip. Better to suffer separation from a loved one than to see them die an unnecessary death.

Honduras is a beautiful country full of beautiful nature and people. Time will tell whether Honduras can see peace and provide a safe environment for its citizens. In the meantime, paradise stays behind in a world forgotten by all.