Browse Honduras Daily Stories

Central Bank president Roberto Lagos met with IMF Deputy Managing Director Kenji Okamura in Bangkok to assess Honduras's economic program ahead of the sixth and final review, with both sides emphasizing fiscal discipline and structural reforms.

A UNAH economist warns that Honduras may receive over $12 billion in remittances in 2026, but that dependence on migrant money discourages investment in productive industries and exports.

Economist Guillermo Matamoros warns that Honduras faces obstacles—global trade reconfigurations, drought effects, high production costs, and weakening agriculture and manufacturing—that threaten the central bank's 3–4% GDP growth forecast for 2026, with about 47,000 jobs lost so far this year.

Honduras's October 2–11 Morazán holiday brought 1.6 million travelers nationwide and generated L769 million (about $31 million) in economic activity, with overnight stays at tourist destinations up 43 percent, Tourism Minister Andrés Ehrler reported.

The government will temporarily absorb a 33.5% increase in Utila's average electricity rate, which rose from L 11.20 to L 14.95 per kilowatt-hour, to prevent the hike from reaching residents and businesses.

Chinese-backed stores expanding across Honduras since the 2023 diplomatic opening have left small merchants reporting sales drops of up to 70% and facing unfair competition through alleged tax breaks and inflated rent bids, prompting calls for equal regulatory oversight.

Falling milk production nationwide and rising operational costs—driven by drought, heat, and expensive fuel—are pressuring dairy product prices, with cheese prices already rising by one lempira this week.

The Bay Islands health authority will keep clinics open across all four municipalities through October 9 to ensure residents and visitors have medical access during the holiday break.

The government will absorb the ACPV fuel tax on diesel for 30 days to ease high fuel costs, but the National Association of Industrialists warns the subsidy is temporary and says structural solutions—infrastructure, technology, and efficiency—are needed to address rising global oil prices.

US power companies have expressed interest in investing in Honduras's energy sector following the September enactment of the Energy Justice Law, the government says.

Honduras's Morazán Week holiday began with lower-than-expected passenger traffic at major bus terminals, though authorities project over 500,000 travelers will move throughout the week, generating roughly L600 million ($24 million) for transport, hotels, and tourism-linked businesses.

Economist Germán Dubón says a diesel subsidy could help stabilize transport and distribution costs for basic goods, though he warns the measure will cost the state roughly 77 billion lempiras (about $3.1 billion), equivalent to 30–40% of the Health Ministry budget.

The government will temporarily waive the ACPV tax on diesel—12 lempiras per gallon—from October 5 to November 4, absorbing the cost to shield transport and consumers from rising international fuel prices.

Authorities across the Bay Islands announced a coordinated security and prevention operation for an expected 200,000 visitors during the coming high-season week, with checkpoints and personnel deployed across Roatán, Santos Guardiola, Guanaja, and Utila.

Honduras's poultry industry reports losses of at least 6 million lempiras (about $240,000) amid production pressures, avian flu surveillance, and constraints on egg prices that the government and producers are addressing through reference pricing.

Under new rules, Honduras's ENEE must use public tenders rather than direct contracts for future power purchases, with the first bidding process required to launch within 180 days and conclude within a year.

Honduras's state power utility ENEE, losing an estimated 40 million lempiras daily to illegal connections, meter tampering, and theft, is launching specialized crews nationwide to inspect, install meters, and cut service where electricity theft is found, aiming to recover lost revenue and strengthen its financial position.

Rev. Dr. Glen Solomon, a prominent religious figure and community leader in the Bay Islands who founded a children's home, taught at a local school, and helped establish a Christian radio station, was remembered at his funeral as a man whose faith and service shaped generations of islanders.

A Fosdeh economist proposed restructuring Honduras's fuel-subsidy program and reviewing public spending to address rising fuel prices, noting that increasing the subsidy from 65% to 70% has failed to keep prices down, while the government explores targeting diesel support to transportation and agriculture.

Honduras is undergoing its fifth mutual evaluation by Gafilat, the Latin American financial-action group, to assess compliance with international standards for combating money laundering, terrorism financing, and weapons proliferation; the 18-month review is expected to conclude in December 2027.

Reverend Glen Solomon, a Roatán Baptist pastor and former congressman from the Bay Islands who championed National Bible Day legislation, has died; his funeral was held on Roatán on October 1.

Tourism officials in the Bay Islands are promoting Roatán, Guanaja, and Utila for the upcoming Morazán Week holiday, while also addressing sargassum accumulation on beaches with a planned cleanup on Sunday.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tegucigalpa and the government's Results Management Office signed an agreement to implement advanced electronic signatures nationwide, aiming to streamline corporate paperwork, cut processing times and costs, and modernize state-business interactions.

Engineer Miguel Arriaga warns Honduras's state power company faces severe financial pressure from high generation costs, reduced hydroelectric output due to drought, and years-long delays in signing new capacity contracts, leaving ENEE unable to recover over 6 billion lempiras (~$240 million) in costs over six months.

The Bay Islands Chamber of Commerce called on authorities to urgently address deteriorating conditions at La Ceiba's coastal shipping port, citing shallow-water access problems and infrastructure damage that threaten maritime connectivity and island businesses after a Safeway Maritime vessel partially sank at the dock.

A national security and emergency operation will run October 2–12 as Honduras's Morazán Week holiday draws an estimated 500,000 travelers; multiple agencies will staff checkpoints on highways, beaches, and tourist sites.

The Honduran business council reported food and beverage inflation of 5.57% in August, citing drought conditions from El Niño and higher transport costs, while overall inflation reached 6.20% and private-sector credit grew 20% through June.

Finance Minister Emilio Hernández Hércules warned that a six-month suspension of the fuel tax, proposed in Congress, would cost the government 6.6 billion lempiras (about $264 million) in lost revenue that would have to be offset by cutting other budget areas.

Honduras's guarantee fund Confianza SA-FGR has mobilized L29 billion (about $1.16 billion) in loans to micro, small, and medium enterprises since its founding, issuing over 304,000 guarantees and supporting an estimated 435,000 jobs, with 92% of guarantees backing businesses creating 1–10 jobs and 59% benefiting women.

A Cohep executive urged protesters blocking highways to propose solutions instead, arguing that Honduras's fuel-price rise reflects an international situation affecting many countries, since Honduras produces no oil of its own.