Curfew in Honduras

This morning Honduras woke up to the news that a curfew is in place between 6 pm and 6 am. What does this news of a curfew in Honduras mean to you? How does it affect you if you are traveling in Honduras? In my personal opinion, it is good news for all. This is not the first time I live through a curfew in Honduras. I was in Honduras back in 1998 during Hurricane Mitch. Back then, the curfew was in place to control looting after the destruction left by the hurricane. I was also through the curfew during the 2009 political crisis that we had after he sought reelection. The current curfew issued last night is valid for 10 days. This means that unless there is a change, it will be in effect between the 1st and 10th of December.

The unrest came to be as post election protests on the streets went out of control. It is interesting to note that the curfew leaves the door open so that it can be applied selectively. This means that some of the more popular travel destinations like Utila and Roatan may be able to avoid the restriction. I imagine that the local authorities are already in contact with the central government. I hoe that they can lift the mobility restrictions on the islands. If this is the case, travelers will be able to enjoy the nightlife in Roatan and Utila. As of yesterday evening, the Honduras Institute of Tourism confirmed that the Bay Islands would be under a 6 hour curfew, that is, from midnight to 6 am. Apparently, the same applies for Trujillo, Tela and Copan Ruinas.

One of the benefits of the curfew is that the police and military have instructions to keep the roads and bridges open. This means that you will once again be able to travel on Honduras highway network without getting stuck between roadblocks. You will not be able to drive on the Honduras highway network after dark. But then, nobody in his right mind wants to do so! A drawback is that many buses have schedules that depart before 6 a.m. I recommend that you call your bus company to double check on the schedules. These may vary during the following days to adapt to the curfew in Honduras. We will work on keeping an update of the curfew and travel in Honduras for you!

I want to think that after December 11th things will be back to normal. The Electoral Authority of Honduras is under international pressure to finish counting the ballots. We will have an official winner of the presidential elections within the next two or three days. It is possible that the loser will not admit defeat. Yet, under the watchful eyes of the European Community and OAS observers, we will be able to continue on.

In the meantime, plan your travels in Honduras throughout the sunlight hours. Stay in a hotel where you can have your dinner and drinks without going out. You will be able to enjoy and do many different activities available in Honduras. Enjoy your travels!