>> Sreenivasan: PRESIDENT TRUMP
HAS THREATENED TO CLOSE THE
U.S.-MEXICO BORDER NEXT WEEK IF
THE FLOW OF UNDOCUMENTED
IMMIGRANTS COMING INTO THE U.S.
CONTINUES.
IN EL PASO, TEXAS, THE GROWING
NUMBER OF MIGRANTS CROSSING THE
BORDER SEEKING ASYLUM HAS CAUSED
BORDER AUTHORITIES TO ERECT A
MAKESHIFT HOLDING PEN UNDER A
BRIDGE THERE, DUE TO A SHORTAGE
OF SPACE.
MOST OF THOSE MIGRANTS ARE FROM
CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES LIKE
HONDURAS, WHERE GANG VIOLENCE
AND CRIME HAVE CAUSED SOME TO
JOIN THE CARAVANS OF PEOPLE
LEAVING THERE AND TRYING TO MAKE
IT HERE.
IN THE SECOND PART OF HER
FOUR-PART SERIES, "FLEEING
HOME," NEWSHOUR WEEKEND SPECIAL
CORRESPONDENT MARCIA BIGGS
REPORTS FROM A PART OF HONDURAS
THAT EMBODIES ALL THE ISSUES
CAUSING PEOPLE TO FLEE.
SHE ALSO FINDS THERE ARE MANY
LOOKING TO STAY AND MAKE THE
BEST OF THEIR LIVES IN THEIR
HOME NATION.
HER REPORTING WAS SUPPORTED BY A
GRANT FROM THE PULITZER CENTER.
>> Reporter: FROM HIGH ABOVE,
SAN PEDRO SULA LOOKS BEAUTIFUL,
CALM, AN IDYLLIC CITY NESTLED IN
THE HONDURAN HILLS.
BUT ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN, IN
THE DISTRICT OF RIVERA
HERNANDEZ, OVER 100,000 PEOPLE
LIVE IN ABJECT POVERTY UNDER THE
CONTROL OF GANGS.
WE GOT SPECIAL PERMISSION TO
ENTER THE AREA, BUT WE'RE TOLD
WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR WINDOWS DOWN
SO GANG LOOKOUTS CAN KEEP AN EYE
ON US.
TRASH PILES UP IN THE STREET.
EVEN THE ANIMALS ARE
MALNOURISHED.
DRINKING WATER IS CONTAMINATED,
AND WE'RE TOLD THAT HUNGRY
CHILDREN SOMETIMES EAT THE
SARDINES FOUND SWIMMING IN OPEN
SEWAGE LINES.
SO, WE'RE AT GROUND ZERO FOR ALL
THE PROBLEMS HERE IN HONDURAS,
WHETHER THEY BE POVERTY OR
VIOLENCE.
RIVERA HERNANDEZ IS ONE OF THE
MOST DANGEROUS DISTRICTS IN SAN
PEDRO SULA, AND IT'S CONTROLLED
BY GANGS.
IT REALLY FEELS LIKE A FORGOTTEN
WORLD HERE.
YOU'D NEVER KNOW THAT WE'RE TEN
MINUTES FROM THE CENTER OF TOWN.
THE MOST INFAMOUS GANGS IN THIS
DISTRICT: MS-13 AND THE 18th
STREET GANG.
BOTH WERE BORN IN THE STREETS OF
LOS ANGELES DURING THE 1970s AND
'80s BUT SPREAD TO EL SALVADOR
AND HONDURAS IN THE EARLY '’’90s
WHEN MEMBERS OF THEIR RANKS WERE
DEPORTED.
HERE, IN HONDURAS, THEY'VE
DIVIDED UP THE AREA, RUNNING
THEIR SECTORS LIKE ORGANIZED
CRIME SYNDICATES.
PLAY BY THEIR RULES AND STAY ON
YOUR OWN TURF, AND YOU WON'T GET
HURT.
PASTOR DANNY PACHECO HAS LIVED
HERE HIS WHOLE LIFE AND, LIKE
MOST PASTORS IN THE AREA, WORKS
AS AN INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN THE
COMMUNITY, THE GANGS, AND LOCAL
POLICE.
>> (translated ): I'VE BEEN
DOING THIS FOR MANY YEARS, AND I
AM WHO I AM.
I STAY NEUTRAL.
ALL WE DO IS TRY TO HELP WHO WE
CAN, IN ANY COMMUNITY.
THE GANGS KNOW WHO YOU ARE, SO,
I THINK, WITH THE PASSING OF
YEARS, WE'VE EARNED A LEVEL OF
TRUST WITH THEM AND THEIR
RESPECT.
>> Reporter: DO YOU EVER FEAR
FOR YOUR LIFE?
>> (translated ): ALWAYS.
>> Reporter: THE GOVERNMENT HAS
TOUTED A RECENT DECLINE IN
HOMICIDE RATES, BUT VIOLENCE IS
STILL RAMPANT.
FEAR OF RETRIBUTION KEEPS PEOPLE
FROM REPORTING CRIMES, AND, WHEN
THEY DO, FEWER THAN 5% ARE EVEN
INVESTIGATED, MUCH LESS TRIED.
ABANDONED HOMES DOT THE
LANDSCAPE, LEFT BY THOSE FLEEING
EXTORTION AND VIOLENCE.
THE GANGS OFTEN TURN THE HOUSES
INTO DENS FOR KIDNAPPING, RAPE
AND TORTURE.
THEY'RE DUBBEDCASASLOCAS,
WHICH IS SPANISH FOR "CRAZY
HOUSES."
HOPING TO BRING SOME LIFE BACK
INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, PACHECO
IS TURNING THIS FORMER CASA LOCA
INTO ACASA DEESPERANZA, A
HOUSE OF HOPE, A KIND OF
COMMUNITY CENTER WHERE KIDS CAN
HAVE A PLACE TO GO.
WHAT'S THE FUTURE FOR A KID
GROWING UP IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD,
IN RIVERA HERNANDEZ?
>> (translated ): IT'S VERY
UNCERTAIN BECAUSE, IN SOME WAYS,
WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS WHO ARE
GOOD STUDENTS; BUT IF SOMEONE
SAYS, "I'M GOING TO BURN MY EYES
STUDYING SO MANY HOURS AND
YEARS, AND THEN NOT BE ABLE TO
GET A JOB," WHAT'S THE
MOTIVATION FOR OUR YOUTH TO
STUDY?
>> Reporter: BUT PACHECO SAYS
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM HERE ISN'T
VIOLENCE, IT'’’S POVERTY.
PARENTS CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY
SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND UNIFORMS.
ONE IN FOUR CHILDREN IN HONDURAS
DOESN'’’T FINISH PRIMARY SCHOOL.
>> (translated ): THEY HAVE
THESE THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT MIGHT
HAPPEN TO THEM IN THE FUTURE.
AND A GANG COMES ALONG AND
PRESENTS TO THEM HOW MUCH THEY
EARN, THE TYPE OF LIFE THEY
HAVE.
IT'S THE BEST OFFER THEY GET, SO
THEY JOIN THE GANG.
>> Reporter: PACHECO SAYS AROUND
THREE-QUARTERS OF THE KIDS IN
HIS COMMUNITY HAVE JOINED.
SOME OTHERS JOIN THE CARAVANS OF
MIGRANTS HEADING TO THE UNITED
STATES.
>> (translated ): PEOPLE
CONTINUE TO LEAVE, ALL DESPITE
THREATS FROM PRESIDENT DONALD
TRUMP, WHO HAS MILITARY AT THE
BORDER AND COULD FIRE SHOTS AT
PEOPLE.
THE GOAL IS FOR PEOPLE TO GET
DESPERATE AND TURN BACK.
DESPITE ALL OF THAT, PEOPLE KEEP
LEAVING THE COUNTRY.
IF THE UNITED STATES INVESTS
LESS IN THE WALL AND MORE IN
REDUCING POVERTY IN THESE
COUNTRIES, I'M SURE IT WILL FIX
THE PROBLEM.
>> Reporter: THE UNITED STATES
IS SUPPLYING AID TO HONDURAS.
IN 2017, $181 MILLION WENT TO
PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO MAKE
HONDURAS SAFER AND TO CURB DRUG
TRAFFICKING.
IN THE PROCESS, THE U.S. HOPES
TO MAKE IT LESS LIKELY THAT
HONDURANS WILL WANT TO EMIGRATE.
THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT AND
U.S.A.I.D. FUNNELED A MAJORITY
OF THAT CASH TOWARD THE
COUNTRY'S SECURITY INSTITUTIONS:
MILITARY AND POLICE.
THE GOVERNMENT BUILT NEW SO-
CALLED AMERICAN-STYLE PRISONS,
ROUNDING UP AND INCARCERATING
GANG MEMBERS.
BUT THIS ALSO BOLSTERED THE
AUTHORITY OF INSTITUTIONS THAT
ARE NOTORIOUSLY CORRUPT.
IN THE CASE OF THE MILITARY,
WHEN PROTESTS ERUPTED OVER THE
2017 ELECTION OF PRESIDENT
HERNANDEZ, SECURITY FORCES
ALLEGEDLY KILLED OVER TWO DOZEN
PEOPLE WITH IMPUNITY.
IN THE CASE OF POLICE, VICTIMS
OF CRIME ARE OFTEN AFRAID TO
MAKE REPORTS FOR FEAR THAT
POLICE WILL INFORM ON THEM TO
MEMBERS OF THE GANGS.
OLGA CASELE TOLD US THAT SHE WAS
IN THE CAR WITH HER FAMILY WHEN
THEY ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED A
POLICE CAR AND BULLETS STARTED
FLYING.
SHE SAYS POLICE SHOT THREE OF
HER CHILDREN.
HER SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SON, JOSE,
WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD.
>> (translated ): MY DAD SAID,
"DON'T SHOOT, DON'T SHOOT, MY
KIDS ARE INSIDE!"
BUT THEY KEPT GOING.
>> Reporter:TIENES MIEDO DE IR
EN LA CALLE?
ARE YOU SCARED TO GO ON THE
STREET?
>> (translated ): YES, I'M
SCARED BECAUSE WHEN I AM OUT
WITH HIM AND HE SEES POLICE, HE
GETS SCARED AND NERVOUS.
I DON'T WISH THIS GRIEF ON
ANYONE.
MY KIDS ARE HERE ONLY BECAUSE OF
GOD'’’S GRACE.
THE POLICE IN THIS COUNTRY ARE
WORTHLESS.
THEY SHOOT WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING
WHO THEY ARE SHOOTING AT.
>> Reporter: BECAUSE OF
INCIDENTS LIKE THIS ONE, POLICE
WHOARE TRYING TO DO RIGHT BY
THE COMMUNITIES, ARE STRUGGLING
TO GAIN THEIR TRUST.
LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS RECEIVED
U.S. DOLLARS FOR NEW COMMUNITY
POLICING AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS,
SENDING NATIONAL POLICE OFFICERS
TO SCHOOLS TO SPEAK TO STUDENTS
AND FUNDING THIS DAY CAMP.
BUT OUT OF THE 8,000 CHILDREN IN
THIS SECTOR OF RIVERA HERNANDEZ,
ONLY 100 CAN ATTEND THIS CAMP.
BUT JUST DOWN THE ROAD, JEREMIAS
VOBADA IS GIVING THE CHILDREN IN
RIVERA HERNANDEZ, AND EVEN SOME
ADULTS, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR
FREE, TRAINING FUTURE
ELECTRICIANS FOR JOBS THAT CAN
PAY UP TO $20 PER DAY-- MORE
THAN TWICE WHAT THEY CAN MAKE
WORKING IN A SHOP OR SELLING
WATER ON THE STREET.
THEY WALK DOWN THE ROAD
TOGETHER, PAST A RIVER OF SEWAGE
TO THE ABANDONED BUILDING THAT
PASTOR DANNY PACHECO IS FIXING
UP.
IT WILL BE THEIR CLASSROOM FOR
THE DAY AS THEY BEGIN THE BASICS
OF ELECTRICITY INSTALLATION.
HIS STUDENTS RANGE IN AGE.
MARVIN MARCIER IS 52 YEARS OLD.
HE LOST HIS JOB AT A BREWING
COMPANY AND NEEDS WORK.
HE SHARES THE CLASS WITH NINE-
YEAR-OLD ISAAC, WHO IS ON A
WINTER BREAK FROM SCHOOL.
IN HONDURAS, EVEN A FOURTH
GRADER KNOWS HE HAS TO LEARN HOW
TO FEED HIS FAMILY.
>> (translated ): WE HAVE SPENT
A LONG TIME WAITING FOR HELP TO
COME FROM ELSEWHERE.
THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR
THEM TO LEARN, SO THEY CAN TEACH
EACH OTHER, AND WE CAN GROW AND
GET AHEAD WITHIN OUR OWN
COMMUNITY.
OUR VISION IS TO GROW ACROSS ALL
OF HONDURAS BY EDUCATING
TECHNICIANS IN ORDER TO
EVENTUALLY BUILD A SOLAR PANEL
FACTORY, TO BE ABLE TO GROW IN
THE FIELD OF SOLAR ENERGY.
>> Reporter: 20 YEARS AGO,
VOBADA WAS A DRUG ADDICT
INVOLVED IN TRAFFICKING FOR A
SMALL LOCAL GANG.
HE UNDERSTANDS THE CHOICES THESE
KIDS ARE GOING TO FACE.
>> (translated ): THIS WORK
KEEPS THEM OFF THE STREETS AND
KEEPS THEIR MINDS OCCUPIED, AND
THIS ALSO HELPS THEM FORGET
ABOUT THE AMERICAN DREAM.
IT TEACHES THEM THAT HERE IN
HONDURAS, IF THEY HAVE A TRADE,
THEY HAVE A TOOL TO HELP SUPPORT
THEIR FAMILIES.
>> Reporter: AFTER CLASS, ISAAC
TOOK US HOME TO MEET HIS MOTHER.
HOLA!
EVELINE NUNAS RUNS A SMALL
GROCERY STORE AND IS ONLY ABLE
TO STAY AFLOAT BECAUSE HER
BROTHER, WHO LIVES IN HOUSTON,
SENDS HER AROUND $80 A MONTH.
SHE HANDS ALMOST A QUARTER OF
THAT OVER TO THE GANG THAT
CONTROLS HER AREA.
EXTORTION IS SO COMMONPLACE
HERE, THEY CALL IT "WAR TAX."
SI NO PAGAS?
IF YOU DON'’’T PAY?
>>(translated ): WE ARE
OBLIGATED TO PAY OR THEY'LL TAKE
EVERYTHING, SHUT YOU DOWN.
WE ARE FORCED TO DO IT BECAUSE
IF WE DON'T, WE FACE DANGER.
IT'S VERY COMPLICATED HERE
BECAUSE OF THIS.
>> Reporter: SHE'S PROUD OF
ISAAC.
HE'’’S SMART AND METICULOUS.
SHE WANTS HIM TO STAY IN SCHOOL
AND SAYS THAT VOCATIONAL
TRAINING, EVEN AT NINE YEARS
OLD, IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
>> (translated ): MANY TIMES HE
ASKED ME, "MOMMY, WHAT DO YOU
WANT ME TO DO IN THE FUTURE?"
I SAY, "HONEY, I WANT YOU TO
PREPARE YOURSELF IN STUDIES, GO
TO COLLEGE IF GOD ALLOWS YOU.
IT'S WHAT THE WHOLE WORLD WANTS,
WITH GOD'’’S HELP."
>> Reporter: WE ASKED JEREMIAS
VOBADA IF HE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT
JOINING A CARAVAN, LIKE THE
THOUSANDS OF OTHERS TRYING TO
EMIGRATE.
HE SAID HE WANTED TO LEAVE THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT NOT FOR THE
U.S.
>> (translated ): WITH A
VISION, I WANT TO GO WITH THE
SAME TECHNICAL EDUCATORS TRAINED
IN ELECTRICITY AND SOLAR ENERGY
TO DIFFERENT PARTS OFTHIS
COUNTRY, TEACHING OTHERS.
MEXICO, THE UNITED STATES, IT'S
NOT MY DREAM.
MY DREAM IS HERE IN HONDURAS,
AND HERE WE ARE GOING TO BE.