The Global Advisor - Spotlight on Latin America - 06.25

The Global Advisor: Spotlight on Latin America | June 2025

Honduras

Kidnappers release businessman after large ransom payment in Tocoa (Colón department) Two armed criminals on 28 April 2025 kidnapped a retail business owner from inside his store the municipal market in Tocoa (Colón department). The kidnappers then contacted the man’s father, also a business owner, and demanded a large financial ransom, which the father paid. The kidnappers released the victim on 29 April on the outskirts of Tocoa.

Virtual kidnappers target technicians in Santa Ana (Francisco Morazán department) Criminals on 2 May 2025 lured two renewable energy technicians to an installation in Santa Ana (Francisco Morazán department) in order to virtually kidnap them. Once the two technicians arrived, the scammers contacted them via a phone call, told them they had surrounded the installation and that they would shoot them if they tried to leave. The scammers then contacted the victims’ employer to demand a ransom for their return. Police responded to the incident and confirmed that the men were safe.

Control Risks comment

Kidnapping commonly occurs in Honduras, with the vast majority of incidents taking place in and around the capital Tegucigalpa (Francisco Morazán department) and San Pedro Sula (Cortés department). Incidents remain rare in Colón, accounting for only 2% of all incidents registered in the country between January 2022 and May 2025. Business owners will likely remain common targets across the rest of the year.

Virtual kidnaps are less commonly registered in Honduras than in other Central American countries. However, cases will likely increase over the rest of the year as criminals favour this type of extortive crime given the lower risk of being identified or intercepted by police. Luring victims with fake work contracts will likely remain a common tactic in both genuine and virtual kidnaps across 2025.

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