Wouldn't be surprised in the least to find that is true, it's Honduras not the United States. Imagine how many businesses skirt legal requirements everyday all over the world.
Your right in not being surprised, Word is that the business was not operating legally in Honduras for years, Forget your FAA chit chat , forget your "your not in the USA talk, if they were not operating completely withing the laws of the country they were doing business in then they should not be operating at all, it should not depend just on whether they think they will get caught, thats what criminals do isn't it?
Yes, Many times over the years if I felt the situation warranted it yet often the license is displayed and the lifejackets are gone over in the briefing. I wonder if these folks were told that the four of them were going up on a plane designed for two but not to worry, everything is perfectly safe. Do I worry about it when on a 20ft panga boat a couple hundred yards from shore? Not at all.Ever ask a dive boat captain for his license, or ask to count the life jackets?