Monday, January 20, 2014

Or Lack Thereof

A comment left under my El Salvador article is illustrative:
Get the Hell Outta Here!
"The pattern could be repeated in Brazil, or Mexico, or “murder capital” Honduras"
Brazil? Check. Mexico? Check. Honduras? Eh ehhhhhhhh. Honduras has LAX gun laws.
You appear to think having the highest murder rate in the world must mean you have tight gun control, regardless of what the gun laws (or lack of them in Honduras' case) actually are. The sooner you guys see past this the more we might move on and find workable, long-term solutions.
"Lax"? "lack of them in Honduras' case"?

From GunPolicy.org:
"Guiding gun control legislation in Honduras includes the Act on the Control of Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Materials (Decree 30 of 2000)

Guns in Honduras are regulated by the Ministry of Defence and the Preventive Police

In Honduras, only licensed gun owners may lawfully acquire, possess or transfer a firearm or ammunition

In Honduras gun owners must re-apply and re-qualify for their firearm licence every four years

In Honduras, authorities maintain a record of individual civilians licensed to acquire, possess, sell or transfer a firearm or ammunition

Licensed firearm owners in Honduras are permitted to possess up to five firearm

In Honduras, the law requires that a record of the acquisition, possession and transfer of each privately held firearm be retained in an official register
Authorities in Honduras are known to have implemented voluntary firearm surrender schemes, and/or weapon seizure programmes in order to reduce the number of illicit firearms in circulation

As a member of the Central American Integration System (SICA), Honduras is party to the 2007 Central American Programme on Small Arms Control and the Code of Conduct of Central American States on the Transfer of Arms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Material

On 14 November 1997, as a member of the Organisation of American States (OAS), Honduras adopted the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Explosives, Ammunition and Other Related Materials (CIFTA), a legally binding multilateral treaty of which the OAS is depository. The CIFTA Convention has since been signed and ratified  by Honduras

The Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development, a diplomatic initiative aimed at addressing the interrelations between armed violence and development, was signed in 2006  by Honduras.

The United Nations Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition has been signed and ratified  by Honduras

On 21 July 2001, Honduras committed to a consensus decision of the United Nations to adopt, support and implement the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects"
But wait, as Billy Mays used to say, there's more!
Under Article 8 of Title II, Chapter I of the Act on the Control of Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Materials, automatic weapons of any kind are forbidden in Honduras, as well as silencers and high-precision guns, such as sniper rifles.

in 2003, the government passed a law banning several types of military-issue assault rifles from private possession. Legislative Power Decree 101-2003 gave a 90-day grace period to surrender all weapons prohibited under Article 8, along with weapons described in the new law, without fear of criminal or civil prosecution and provided an incentive of 1,000 lempiras (US$52.92) per weapon surrendered.
Under Decree Number 69-2007, signed into law on June 29, 2007, private citizens were restricted to register only up to five firearms and are no longer permitted to carry their firearms in public unless they are being transported and in the proper manner.

Additionally, firearms cannot be carry while on a motorcycle unless the bearer is a law enforcement officer.


The legal carry of a firearm by his owner, either apparent or openly, is only allowed in the spaces of private property such as homes, businesses, workshops, ranches, farms and similar only by their owners. It is also permitted to openly carry to employees performing duties of surveillance and security in public and private businesses, industrial, of service, agricultural, and private security, and strictly in the assigned places and time of employment, in compliance with the requirements of identification, use of uniforms, and other required by this or other law.


In regards to the transport of firearms, Article 27A, third paragraph, explains that firearms can be transported on the streets, in public spaces or areas, public transportation and private vehicles when:

...the weapon carried by his owner is kept or contained in a case or container that does that permit its immediate use... and,
...should be kept on the glove compartment or visible storage areas in the vehicle.
In regards to openly carrying firearms in public, Article 27A, fourth paragraph, states:

At no time is permitted to openly carry weapons on the streets, public areas, public transportation vehicles, public institutions or commercial establishments, [of] industrial, of service, recreational, and any other space where people gather, except under the circumstances described on the first paragraph.
In regards to bringing firearms to Honduras, Article 30 makes the possession of a firearm while in transit through Honduras illegal and requires visitors and tourists who will engage in hunting and shooting sport activities to register and request temporary import permits with the Ministry of Security prior to traveling to Honduras.

I could go on, but the point has been made.


Aren't those the "workable long-term solutions" we're told are needed here?



If that’s your starting point for “lax” and “lack of,” why would I want to “move on” with you on anything?
About the only thing I agree with you on is your screen name.

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