SUMMARY
Organized violence in Honduras rests mainly on the activities of criminal groups such as territorially-based gangs. Rampant poverty and criminality have led to the proliferation of such powerful armed gangs across the country, making gang-related violence a generalized problem in and around urban areas. Similarly as in El Salvador and Guatemala, the gangs Mara Salvatrucha (Honduras) (MS-13) and Mara 18 (Honduras) (M18) are the ones responsible for a large part of the fatalities in Honduras as a result of clashes between them or attacks targeting civilians.
Since 1989, Honduras has experienced the non-state and one-sided categories of organized violence, as defined by UCDP.
2024
Violence linked to criminal activities by gangs MS-13 and M18 continued across the country in 2024, though with varying intensity. San Pedro Sula and Distrito Central were the municipalities with the highest number of fatalities recorded by the UCDP.
Organized violence in Honduras
Peaks in the number of fatalities derived mostly from the changing dynamics and activities of the two most powerful gangs in the country, Mara 18 (Honduras) and Mara Salvatrucha (Honduras). Most of those peaks were the result of clashes between them that took place inside various prisons, in which members of the two gangs were forced to coexist. Likewise, clashes between other organized prison groups, such as Paisas and Pesetas also contributed to the peaks in fatalities. Other instances of violence consist of attacks against civilians perpetrated by MS-13 (Honduras).
The number of fatalities peaked in 2003 after a series of clashes between M18 (Honduras) and MS-13 (Honduras) in the three penitentiary centers that are located in Támara, Tela and San Pedro Sula. The trend of clashes between Paisas and Pesetas continued throughout the years.
Although one-sided violence was a recurrent phenomenon across the country, the highest peak in number of fatalities as a result from this type of violence was in 2004 after an armed attack by MS-13 (Honduras) that targeted a bus transporting over 20 civilians. The highest peak in number of fatalities overall in Honduras was reached in 2010 and was the result of a mix of clashes and targeted attacks between MS-13 (Honduras) and M18 (Honduras) that resulted in more than 50 deaths.
Honduran prisons were known for continuously hosting episodes of violence between organized groups and in recent years, gang-related violence inside those precincts continued to be the main cause for fatalities in Honduras. Violent events took place in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, the towns with greater presence from MS-13 (Honduras) and M18 (Honduras). In June 2023, a deadly riot between gang factions at the Tamara women's prison outside Tegucigalpa left 46 inmates dead, illustrating the enduring danger of organized criminal groups even within state-controlled institutions.
In 2023, Honduras continued to grapple with pervasive gang-related violence, primarily involving MS-13 and M18. Territorial control, extortion, and internal prison clashes remain key features of gang dynamics. The government, led by President Xiomara Castro, extended a state of emergency to target gang activity, following similar approaches in El Salvador. Critics raised concerns about militarization, due process violations, and arbitrary detentions. Although some forms of violence declined, widespread human rights violations—including targeted killings of journalists, environmental defenders, and members of the LGBTQ+ community—persisted in 2023.
Pre-1989 conflicts
Prior to 1989, Honduras was involved in a number of disputes with its Central American neighbors. In 1957, a border dispute with Nicaragua led to a short interstate armed conflict. In 1969, Honduras and El Salvador fought the so-called “Soccer War”, an interstate conflict that lasted for approximately six days. The conflict initiated following rioting after football matches between the two countries, but the real issue was one of expulsion of Salvadorian nationals from Honduran farming lands.
Honduras as a secondary warring party
Honduras had a history of having close ties to the U.S., which meant that the country, at times, supported US military endeavors. In 1991, Honduras joined the multinational coalition that gave secondary warring support to the Government of Kuwait in its armed conflict with Iraq. Honduras also committed secondary warring support in 2004 to the Government of Iraq in its intrastate conflict against various insurgent groups.
