Hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing 'virtual war zones' in Central America

• Murder rates in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador among highest on earth
• Asylum applications at levels not seen since the region’s armed conflicts ended decades ago
• Young people hardest hit by the violence

“El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have become virtual war zones where lives seem to be expendable and millions live in constant terror at what gang members or public security forces can do to them or their loved ones. “Although countries like Mexico and the USA are utterly failing to protect Central American asylum-seekers and refugees, it is high time that the authorities in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras own up to their role in this crisis and take steps to tackle the problems that force these people to leave home in the first place.”

“Reception programmes for deportees are a bad joke. A shiny building, a warm meal and a welcome banner will not keep these people safe from the horrors that await them back home. “Instead, what we need to see is an effective region-wide initiative to invest the international aid they are receiving into tackling what causes so many people to desperately flee their homes. “Unless Central American leaders address the shocking current levels of violence in their countries, the region risks plunging back into its darkest times.“