Criminal organizations increasingly recruiting minors in Honduras and Mexico

Authorities in Honduras and Mexico are raising alarms regarding the recruitment of minors by organized criminal groups.

In Honduras, National Police Director Rigoberto Oseguera Mass reported that over one thousand youths have been detained for criminal offenses so far this year, a trend he attributes to high recruitment levels by criminal structures. Data from Casa Alianza Honduras indicates that between June 2024 and June 2025, 66 cases of forced recruitment of children and adolescents were identified. Officials emphasized that addressing this issue requires family involvement, educational support, and institutional monitoring to prevent further exploitation.

In Mexico, the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) has called on all levels of government to strengthen prevention measures following the death of a 15-year-old boy allegedly linked to a criminal organization in Michoacán. The CNDH noted that recruitment is a human rights violation driven by poverty, school dropout rates, and lack of institutional presence. The organization highlighted that criminal groups often exploit these vulnerabilities by offering income or a sense of belonging to minors.