US issues travel warnings for 2 Central American countries, suggests reconsidering visit

Travelers planning to take a trip to a pair of Central American countries are being warned by the U.S. Department of State about ongoing issues that may make travel unsafe, including a suggestion to reconsider any travel to Honduras. A pair of advisories issued Tuesday say ongoing violent crime in Honduras is cause for travelers to cancel plans to visit, while crime in Costa Rica is cause for travelers to use increased caution if they decide to visit.

Officials say local authorities in Honduras lack the resources needed to respond effectively to serious crime incidents in the country.

“Violent crime, such as homicide, armed robbery, and kidnapping, remains common. Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, narcotics, and human trafficking, is widespread,” reads a portion of the alert.

However, the warning did say that resort areas are often more heavily policed, especially in the area of Bay Islands, which include Roatan, Utila, and Guanaja.

If you do decide to visit Honduras, the State Department warns of ongoing demonstrations that can shut down roadways and often turn violent. Anyone who visits Honduras is advised not to drive or walk around at night, use caution in public areas, do not use public transportation and be very cautious if using ATMs or visiting banks.

In Costa Rica the warning is less severe, however travelers are still reminded that petty crime is an ongoing problem. Violent crime does affect tourists in Costa Rica, but has not reached a level where officials say travel is not advised.

Visitors to Costa Rica are advised to avoid walking in poorly lit areas and not to “display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.” If you are the target of a robbery, it is suggested that you don’t try to resist and to cooperate with robbers.