1

Running Head: HONDURAS

Honduras
Brooke Hepburn
SOCL1127
Niagara College
December 9, 2016

HONDURAS

Honduras is one of many known as a third world country. Many who live there are not
privileged in the traditional sense of the word, but they are privileged in many other ways.
Honduras is a place rich with culture, history, and community. Although they are plagued by
disease and violence, it is an inspiring and beautiful place to visit.
When most people think of Honduras, when its not in relation to a cruise ship or the beautiful
islands, they think of the violence. When I told people I was heading to Honduras, the reaction I
got often questioned if I knew of the gangs. Everyone kept telling me how dangerous it was. In
most ways, it is true. The gangs have shaped the culture of Honduras in ways that the people of
Honduras wish to be different. The country has a murder rate of 86.5 per 100,000 per year
(Lohmuller, 2015). Gangs have been around in Honduras for decades, but did not become
popular until the late 90s and early 00s. The two big gangs are MS-13 and 18-Street. Strangely
enough, both of these gangs originated in Los Angeles, California. They began around Honduras
because gang members who completed prison sentences were subject to deportation to their
home countries for felonies and immigration infractions (Liquisearch, 2016). As word got
around that the gangs offered a job, a brotherhood, and providing for your family, more and more
Hondurans got on board with the lifestyle.
Its strange walking around a country where you can look to one side and see huge buildings
clearly built around wealth, and look to another side to see someone struggling to keep their tin
roof together on their shack on the property that they just happen to be squatting on. The two
sides have such extremes that its hard to understand why. Its easier to see once you realize how
corrupt their Government is; especially when it comes to their healthcare system. Healthcare
workers are often on strike due to not receiving paychecks, and there are not enough drugs to go
around. The government is known to withhold the money that is supposed to go towards

HONDURAS

hospitals and medical supplies, and instead spends it on their lavish lifestyles. Due to this,
Honduras is said to be 40 years behind in medical advancement.
You would be surprised to see how well off Hondurans are when it comes to technology. They all
want the latest sound systems, televisions, and cellphones yet when it comes to the necessities
of life (food, clean water, sturdy shelter), those are not as important. The water was the hardest to
grasp. People in Honduras should never drink water from a tap. The locals all buy large bottles of
water to drink (if they drink it at all), or get water from a cistern or pozo. If there is no rain,
families haul water from the nearest, usually polluted, stream. (Proyectomirydor, 2016) So
many Hondurans are riddled with parasites because they choose to not boil their water and just
drink it dirty. Their mouths are full of rotting teeth, because Coca Cola is cheaper than buying
bottled water. When we traveled to Honduras we were told not to brush our teeth with the tap
water, and to brush them with the bottled water instead. If our water bottles ran out during our
visits to the towns, we were out of luck. If we ordered a drink with ice in it, we were taking a
risk. In Canada the water goes through purifying systems, and tap water is generally clean to
drink. The standards are very different.
Socioeconomically, Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the world. In fact, some say that
it is the second poorest country in the west. Almost half of the population is unemployed, and the
ones that are employed make anywhere from 2 6 dollars a day. The education system is flawed
in Honduras, and there is not enough emphasis put on the importance of it. Children do not often
make it through school because they are sent off to work and make money for their families at a
very young age. Young girls are sold to strawberry farms, or make very little money selling
candy and cookies on the side of the road. Eventually these children end up in gangs, or if the
children do have dreams of getting a higher education it is in America or Spain. Many children

HONDURAS

tend to stay in the countries that they went to University in, however the plan is to have them
come back and make their home country a better place.
Although Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the world, it ranks high in the way of
Globalization. This all started for Honduras when other countries begun to become globalized.
Honduras biggest exports are coffee and bananas these ship globally, but their biggest trade
partners are in North America. Bananas were once the number 1 export, until Hurricane Mitch
devastated banana farmers and wiped out most of their crops. Bananas remain a high export, but
coffee has since taken the lead. Despite being quite the agricultural country, they are moving into
being more industrial, and their third highest export is clothing and linens.
The media, like many other things in Honduras, is watched very closely by the government.
Honduras has at least nine daily newspapers, six private television stations, and five radio
stations that broadcast nationally, as well as a large number of community radio stations.
(FreedomhouseDC, 2015) Of course, the Government has a say in what is broadcasted on any of
those channels. Unlike in Canada, it is not uncommon to see a dead body (murdered or not)
broadcasted on the news or on the front page of the newspaper. The media generally does this as
a scare tactic, and Hondurans find themselves numb to it. As for the uplifting parts of the media,
Hondurans love their music. Most of the music is very culture based, however the locals love
listening to worldwide hits as well. Nothing compares to their love of football though, and it is
very common to walk into a shop and see the latest game on.
Although Honduras is very clearly suffering through an ongoing crisis, the economy and the love
of the people continue to thrive. Hondurans, and I too, dream of seeing a better Honduras.
Eventually I believe that we will.

HONDURAS
References
FreedomhouseDC. (2015). Honduras. Retrieved December 6, 2016, from
https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/2015/honduras

Lohmuller, M. (2015, July 16). Honduras Set to Lose Title of 'Murder Capital of the World'?
Retrieved December 6, 2016, from http://www.insightcrime.org/news-briefs/hondurasset-to-lose-title-of-murder-capital-of-world

Politics of Honduras - History - Gang Violence. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2016, from
http://www.liquisearch.com/politics_of_honduras/history/gang_violence

Poverty and Crime. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2016, from

http://www.proyectomirador.org/poverty-and-crime/one-poorest-most-vulnerablecountries-world

The World Factbook: HONDURAS. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2016, from

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ho.html