New Yahoo group: Honduras Living

Santa Lucia, Honduras

My good friend Don Godo and I have just set up a new Yahoo discussion group called − what else? − Honduras Living.


This group was created as a gathering spot for anyone interested in living, retiring and/or investing in Honduras. Whether you are living in Honduras now or just considering your options, join us while we explore life in Honduras for expatriates as well as returning Catrachos (nickname for Hondurans).

We hope to provide a central location where people can find up-to-date information about immigrating to Honduras, residency procedures, hotels, restaurants, sites to visit, experiences, crime/safety, places to avoid, and life in Honduras in general.

With your participation, this group can become the ‘go to’ spot for anyone seeking unbiased (noncommercial) feedback and information on Honduras.

Join us now to share your experiences or any information you have so we can all learn from each other.



Just in case anyone is not familiar with Yahoo Groups, what this is is a mailing list, where each member's question or comment is sent to all the other members and anyone can respond. You'll also be able to share photos. You can opt to receive email messages individually as they are posted or by digest, in which all of the messages for one day are sent in one daily email. You can also visit the website to read messages at any time.

Join now by entering your email address in the box below:

Subscribe to Honduras Living
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I'm looking forward to seeing memberships from all of you who have written to me and anyone else who has plans, hopes, and dreams of living in Honduras.

Who knows? I may even be able to talk El Jefe into joining.

One corrupt politician falls, maybe

Forgive me while I revel in one Honduran corrupto's (corrupt politician's) downfall. At least it is beginning to look like it may be his downfall − but we've been fooled before.

I wanted to get the pictures, but first the site was overloaded and then for some strange reason, all the links were broken. But where there is a will, there is a way, and finally I rooted out these photos. This is two week old news, but it will be new to most of you.

The December 18, 2006 La Prensa headline read CAPTURED! This is the former mayor and a current regidor (city councilman) of San Pedro Sula, second largest city in Honduras:

La Prensa, Honduras, December 18, 2006

The photo caption reads, "The ex-mayor Kilgore threw himself under a table and began to cry when the agents neared to arrest him."

He has been accused of outright stealing more than L. 1 million, bartering two properties that were supposed to be neighborhood green areas, obtaining a L. 20 million bank loan on behalf of the city when only a L. 5 million loan was approved , using L. 31,000 in excessive city fuel allowances, having secret bank accounts containing city money, etc. To date 11 cases of misappropriation of public funds and abuse of power are being investigated.

This was an exclusive for La Prensa and was the most viewed article ever on their website, which couldn't take the load. Street vendors reported running out of newspapers by 8:00 a.m., also a record.

Public opinion was generally along these lines:

"Poor him? Why? Poor us who have been robbed for four years."

"What they've done with Kilgore they should do with a mountain of corrupt politicians who walk in the streets."

The December 19 front page headline was "They humiliated me." This is the second page photo:

La Prensa, Honduras, December 19, 2006

He appears to have recovered his composure even before he could wipe the tears off his glasses.

In the article, he blusters about his innocence, saying that this is politically motivated persecution, his human rights have been violated, and to prove he's not corrupt, he explains how he is three months behind on his car payment and that his cell phone has been turned off on occasion for non-payment. Hah! But we all know that corruptos are so arrogant about their power that they don't pay their bills and usually get away with it.

If you know Honduras at all, you know that the corruptos rarely get arrested, no matter what they've done. Some leave the country with the millions they have stolen. Some bribe the police, fiscalía (district attorneys), judges, or others in the court system and not only get off free but get elected over and over again.

Even if they are arrested, rich people do not go to jail in Honduras. It is just a fact of life; only poor people go to jail.

The courts grant "substitute measures," (as they did in Kilgore's case) where they are supposedly confined to their own luxurious homes and voluntarily report to the court once a week. If the accused is in really bad trouble, he then skips the country. Politicians are reluctant to prosecute knowing that the same may happen to them after the next elections.

But what happens most of the time is that a big scandal is reported in the paper for a few days, and then months later, they may report that insufficient evidence was obtained, or the evidence was 'lost,' or the witness was murdered.

We'll see what happens in this case. I think even just one corrupto going to jail might begin to make a difference. It would be a start anyway.

Can I get some quiet, please?!!

I've mentioned before that a house is being constructed on the corner opposite our house. For the most part, it's no bother to us, since, as I also mentioned in a previous post, almost all of the work is done by hand. Some days we don't even notice they are there.

That's a good thing since we have vacant lots on both sides of us and across the street, so there is a lot more construction in store for us in the future.

We had a little problem at first with trash. Plastic drink bottles and bags, plastic lunch plates, and to go boxes were sailing down the street in front of our house. We know the contractor so one day when he stopped by to say hello, I asked for "un favor" (a favor). Could he possibly put a trash barrel out for the workers to deposit their trash in?

He was most gracious, and said it wasn't a favor, it was his duty to do so and he would right away. I guess he did, because I really haven't noticed any trash in the street.

So everything has been fine − up until today. I know it can't be helped, but apparently they are pouring the second floor today. That means a trail of huge cement trucks pumping cement constantly since 7:30 a.m. It is so loud that my head is pounding.

Normally concrete is mixed by hand with a shovel, but the second story floor must be poured at one time or the sections could separate. That is the only thing that keeps me from screaming − knowing that it will be finished today .... I hope!

The other thing is that El Jefe has been in the garage sanding wood for the chicken coop with an electric sander for about the last 4 hours. And that won't be finished today.

Thank you for letting me rant. According to Saratica, now I will live at least a few minutes longer.