Roger Espinoza was 12 when he and his parents moved from Honduras to Colorado, leaving behind a country that was poor but hopeful as it struggled to complete the transition from dictatorship to democracy.
Twenty years later, 60% of Hondurans live in poverty, while crime, drug trafficking and murderous gangs have combined to make the Central American country one of the world’s most dangerous — one people are now fleeing on foot.
“It is hard knowing that your family is in a tough situation,” said Espinoza, a Sporting Kansas City midfielder who has relatives in San Pedro Sula, long ranked among the deadliest cities on the planet.