Browse Honduras Daily Stories

The electrical regulator (CREE) is expected to approve a 17% rate increase on September 30, but a six-month rate freeze and state subsidies enacted by Congress will prevent the increase from reaching residential and vulnerable consumers.

The Honduran lempira has weakened past 27 per dollar, raising costs for basic goods, fuel, medicines, and utilities in an import-dependent economy where domestic production cannot meet demand.

Families in San Pedro Sula need L4,500–L5,500 weekly (about $180–$220) for food, transport, and basic household needs, forcing residents to cut purchases and skip meat as inflation erodes purchasing power.

More than 1,400 formal businesses have shut down and registered with Honduras's tax authority (SAR) since 2022, with 200 closures occurring so far this year, concentrated in Francisco Morazán, Cortés, and Comayagua departments.

The Catholic Diocese of La Ceiba is proposing to convert the shuttered English Quarter prison—closed in January 2024 and now deteriorating—into a temporary farmers and artisans market while authorities decide the site's permanent use, with local church and municipal leaders expressing support.

Honduras's Energy Ministry announced new fuel prices effective August 31, with gasoline declining slightly in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa while diesel rises with a temporary government subsidy of L1.86–L1.95 per gallon.

Honduras has begun delivering 15 million coffee plants to more than 5,000 farmers across several departments to renovate farms using agroforestry systems.

Honduras's two-month vehicle tax amnesty, which waives penalties and interest on unpaid annual vehicle fees through 2025, expires today; over 45,000 owners have already taken advantage, generating L51.8 million in collections.

Honduras's business community will present Congress with reforms to the Partial Employment Law by late August, seeking to ease hiring rules and expand job opportunities, particularly in call centers and digital-economy sectors.

Cohep's president warned that technical losses, theft, and illegal power tapping in the national grid represent resources that could be redirected to health, education, and infrastructure, and called for Congress to approve an energy-law overhaul to strengthen state utility Enee.

The Energy Ministry announced new fuel prices effective August 24, with increases for regular gasoline, diesel, and kerosene, though premium gasoline will drop slightly.

A Central Bank of Honduras survey finds that 85% of Hondurans sending remittances home live in the US, over half have been abroad at least 16 years, and they send an average of $506 monthly.

Honduras ranks third in Central America for residential electricity costs at $0.236 per kilowatt-hour, but economists say the true cost to users and public finances is far higher due to losses at the state utility Enee, debt servicing, and an incomplete energy-sector reform.

The Energy Ministry announced increases in premium gasoline, regular gasoline, diesel, and kerosene effective August 17, with diesel seeing the largest jump, while domestic cooking gas holds steady and vehicular LPG will fall slightly.

A 30-unit carton of eggs in San Pedro Sula markets has jumped to L110–L117 (about $4.40–$4.68) from L95 at year's start, marking the third price increase in 2026 and adding pressure to household food budgets.

Honduras's two-month vehicle amnesty program, which waives penalties and interest on registration debt from 2025 or earlier, expires on August 25, allowing owners to settle arrears or arrange payment plans of up to 12 months without added fines.

Congress approved two loans worth $225 million from the World Bank's International Development Association and the Inter-American Development Bank to support public finances and the national budget, with low interest rates and extended repayment periods.

Honduras unveiled a 2026–2030 incentive strategy for agriculture with FAO support, aiming to attract investment, create jobs, incorporate technology, and boost competitiveness in a sector that contributes 13% of GDP and over a third of exports.

Honduras's Financial Relief Law for agricultural producers took effect, allowing farmers, rice growers, salt producers, and shrimp farmers to refinance debts at a maximum interest rate of 2% annually over up to 15 years through Banadesa and Senprende.

The US dollar strengthened to 26.81 lempiras at purchase and 26.94 at sale on August 6, according to the Central Bank's official rate, affecting imports, prices, and remittances to Honduran families.

The National Congress established a special commission to develop legislative reforms for Honduras's shrimp industry, which employs 25,000 directly and 100,000 indirectly but has lost over 10,000 jobs since Taiwan relations ended and production costs rose.

Lawmakers are negotiating a bill to rescue the troubled state electrical utility ENEE and modernize its aging infrastructure, with Congress leadership saying a formal vote could come this week or next.

The Energy Ministry announced price increases for gasoline, diesel, and kerosene effective Monday, August 3, with diesel and kerosene seeing the largest jumps; domestic cooking gas remains subsidized.

The city of San Pedro Sula distributed equipment and supplies to 150 entrepreneurs across neighborhoods including Las Brisas, Bográn, and Chamelecón through its Capital Semilla program, paired with training in financial literacy, business planning, and digital marketing.

More than 312,000 vehicle owners have signed up for payment plans under a two-month amnesty that waives fines and interest on registration arrears through August 25, allowing them to catch up on 2025 or earlier vehicle taxes.

Honduras's construction industry supports the National Housing Plan targeting at least 15,000 homes in the short and medium term, but warns that permit delays of up to four years, high material costs, and a shortage of social-housing projects could hinder execution.

Honduras imported over $3.06 billion in Chinese goods in 2025—34% technology and equipment, plus metal products and construction materials—widening the trade deficit with China to $3.13 billion as exports remain limited.

Honduras's energy ministry announced new fuel prices effective July 27, with gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and vehicle gas rising by up to 5.59 lempiras per gallon in San Pedro Sula, while the government maintains temporary subsidies on regular gasoline and diesel.

The government and private-sector leaders, including Cohep president Anabel Gallardo, have lobbied US officials to prevent tariff increases, warning that higher duties on maquila and coffee exports would cost jobs and drive migration.

Honduras's Property Institute is collecting annual vehicle registration fees on a staggered schedule through December, with an amnesty allowing owners to catch up on 2025 and earlier unpaid fees without penalties, while projecting revenue of L5.4 billion (about $216 million).