Cheap car rentals Guatemala - Crime

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Crime

CRIME: The number of violent crimes reported by U.S. citizens and other foreigners has increased in recent years. Incidents include, but are not limited to, assault, theft, armed robbery, carjacking, rape, kidnapping, and murder. Criminals generally operate in groups of four or more and are considerably confrontational and violent. Gangs are a growing concern in Guatemala City as well as in rural Guatemala. Gang members are often well armed with sophisticated weaponry and they sometimes use massive amounts of force. Emboldened armed robbers have attacked vehicles on main roads in broad daylight. Travel on rural roads always increases the risk of a criminal roadblock or ambush. Widespread narcotics and alien smuggling activities can make remote areas especially dangerous. Though there is no evidence that Americans are particularly targeted, criminals look for every opportunity to attack, so all travelers should remain constantly vigilant.

Rather than traveling alone, use a reputable tour organization. Stay in groups; travel in a caravan consisting of two or more vehicles; and, stay on the main roads. Ensure that someone not traveling with you is aware of your itinerary. Resist the temptation to stay in budget hotels, which are generally more susceptible to crime. Travel after dark anywhere in Guatemala is extremely dangerous. Stay in the main tourist destinations. Do not explore back roads or isolated paths near tourist sites. Pay close attention to your surroundings, especially when walking or when driving in Guatemala City. Refrain from displaying expensive-looking jewelry, large amounts of money, or other valuable items. Finally, if confronted by criminals, resistance may provoke a more violent response.

Additional information:

Pickpockets and purse-snatchers are active in all major cities and tourist sites, especially the central market and other parts of Zone 1 in Guatemala City and the city of Antigua. In a common scenario, an accomplice distracts the victim, while an assailant slashes or simply steals a bag or backpack while the victim's attention is diverted.

Antigua has long been the site of petty theft and pickpocketing seen in many other tourist areas, but the robberies reported to the U.S. Embassy have been, for the most part, non-violent. Recently, however, armed individuals have robbed a hostel, a restaurant, and a private home. These crimes may be an anomaly in Antigua, but should be considered during any visits.

We do not allow U.S. government employees to stay in hotels in Zone 1 in Guatemala City and urge private travelers to avoid staying in this area.

Carjackings and highway robberies have become increasingly violent. At least four tourists were killed in highway robbery attempts in 2002 and at least four killed and one wounded in 2003. Many of the robbery attempts have occurred in daylight hours on main highways, including the two most recent attacks involving American citizens, which occurred on CA-1 near Lake Atítlan (March 2003) and CA-2 near the Mexican border (January 2004). Additional attacks have occurred involving other nationalities. These attacks followed a common scenario in which a vehicle is forced off the road by armed men in another vehicle in order to rob the occupants. The passengers are often left tied in the vehicle after being robbed. Resistance to being stopped or robbed has provoked a violent response.

Avoid low-priced intra- and inter-city buses (recycled U.S. school buses); they are a haven for criminals and susceptible to accidents. The use of modern inter-city buses somewhat improves security and safety. There have been, however, several attacks on travelers on first-class buses on highway CA-2 near the border areas with both Mexico and El Salvador and on highways CA-1 and CA-9 near the El Salvador border. Be cautious with personal items such as backpacks and fanny packs while riding buses as they are a favorite target of thieves.

Do not hail taxis on the street in Guatemala City. Use dispatched taxis or taxis from major hotels instead.

Exercise particular caution in the following areas:

The main road to Lake Atitlan via the Pan-American Highway (CA-1) and Solola is safer than the alternatives, though recent attacks have made caravaning highly recommended. Violent attacks have been consistently reported on secondary roads near the lake.

There have been armed attacks on roads from Guatemala City to the Peten. Visitors to the Mayan ruins at Tikal are urged to fly to nearby Flores and then travel by bus or tour van to the site.

Violent attacks have occurred in the Mayan ruins in the Peten, including in the Cerro Cahui Conservation Park, Yaxha, the road to and inside Tikal Park, and in the Tikal ruins. Tourist police (POLITUR) patrols inside the park have significantly reduced the violent crime incidents inside the park, but travelers should nevertheless remain in groups and on the principal trails leading to the Central Plaza and the Temple IV complex, and avoid remote areas of the park, such as the Mundo Perdido and Temple VI areas.

Foreign residents of Guatemala have special concerns. At least 14 American citizen residents and two American citizen tourists have been murdered since December 1999, and none of the cases has been solved. There has been a recent rise in “express” kidnappings, primarily in Guatemala City, in which a relatively small ransom that can be quickly gathered is demanded. U.S. citizens have been kidnapped in recent years. At least one incident of a random kidnapping, in which the victim was grabbed off the street in an affluent neighborhood of the city, occurred in December 2003 and resulted in a physical and sexual assault.

Although the U.S. Embassy cannot substitute for a deficient Guatemalan police or judicial system, we can help and urge U.S. citizens who are victims of crime to contact the Consular Section of the Embassy for advice and assistance. For a listing of recent serious crime incidents involving foreigners, consult the U.S. Embassy's website, http://usembassy.state.gov/guatemala/.

The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Citizens applying for replacement passports will need to present proof of citizenship and identity. Passport replacement can be facilitated if the traveler has a photocopy of the passport's data page. Original or certified copies of birth certificates are required for children under the age of 14. Photographic proof of identity, such as family photos at different ages, is especially important for young children because of the high incidence of identity fraud involving children. In order to produce the most secure document possible, U.S. passports are now printed in the U.S. except in emergencies; therefore, passport processing normally takes several working days.

U.S. citizens may refer to the Department of State's pamphlet, A Safe Trip Abroad, for ways to promote a trouble-free journey. This publication is available by mail from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 ; via the Internet at http://www.gpoaccess.gov; or via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov.