Wave of Taxi Driver Murders Shakes Honduras

The violence shaking Honduras has killed more than 50 taxi drivers from late 2011 to date, in a spiral that makes this necessary service a target.

San Pedro Sula and the capital are the cities with the highest number of murders, attributed in part to the use of these vehicles for drug trafficking or to commit robberies, combined with the refusal of drivers to pay extortion.

Driversâ�Ö statements published by the newspaper La Prensa suggest that the payment to gangs is something from the past, that negatively affects their personal finances and peaceful working conditions.

Union leaders admit they keep silent about these abuses for fear of reprisals and only bring problems regarding roads and municipal taxes to their assemblies.

To counteract the attacks, which are another risk for taxi drivers, rides to certain hot zones in the city considered hot are limited, especially at night.

The so-called "war tax" also extends to small businesses, some of which have been abandoned by their owners due to criminal harassment.