Travel & safety — Guatemala

Guatemala is a developing country characterized by wide income disparities.

Violent crime is a serious concern due to endemic poverty, an abundance of weapons, a legacy of societal violence, and weak law enforcement and judicial systems.

Spanish is the official and most commonly spoken language.

The U.S.

Department of State rates the risk/threat of violent crime in Guatemala as “critical”.

The Embassy has no reason to believe that U.S. citizens are being specifically targeted, although criminals in Guatemala may assume that U.S. citizens and their relatives have more money than average Guatemalans.

Longer-term residents and dual nationals are more likely to become victims of serious crimes, as they are more likely to venture outside of predominantly tourist areas.

Tourists seem to be largely shielded from the worst of the violence, and instead are targeted principally by pickpockets and purse-snatchers.

HoweverU.S. tourists have also been victims of rapes, physical assaults, armed robberies and murders.

For example, in February 2013, a female U.S. citizen reported being attacked by two men armed with a machete while walking on the road from San Pablo to San Juan at Lake Atitlan at 11:30 a.m.

The number of violent crimes reported by U.S. citizens and other foreigners has remained high and such crimes have occurred even in areas of Guatemala City once considered safe, such as Zones 10, 14 and 15.

Additionally, the Peace Corps has designated areas of the country with particularly high incidents of crime “off-limits” to Peace Corps volunteers.

Due to large scale drug and alien smuggling, the Guatemalan border with Mexico (and in particular the northwestern corner of Petén) is a high-risk area.

The border areas including the Sierra de Lacandon and Laguna del Tigre National Parks are among the most dangerous areas in Guatemala.

The U.S.

Embassy takes extra precautions when U.S. government personnel travel to the region.

HOMICIDES: The Government of Guatemala’s official release on crime statistics for the period January through June of 2013 showed a total of 2,736 murders, compared to a total of 2,449 over the same period in 2012, for an increase of 11%.

This comes to a projected total of 5,472 murders for 2013 and makes Guatemala one of the more dangerous countries in the world.

While the vast majority of murders do not involve foreigners, the sheer volume of activity means that local officials find it difficult to cope with the problem.

Since December 2008, 31 murders of U.S. citizens have been reported in Guatemala, including six in 2011.

In 2012, six U.S. citizens were the victims of murder or attempted murder, three of which occurred in November and December.

MISSING PERSONS: At the same time the murder rate has decreased, the number of reported missing persons’ cases increased 156 percent from 2009 to 2012.

In separate incidents in October and November of 2012, the families of two U.S. citizen males reported them missing.

To date, their whereabouts have not been determined.

KIDNAPPING: During the first six months of 2013, there were a total of 24 reported kidnappings, compared to a total of 44 during the same period in 2012.

Gang members are often well armed with sophisticated weaponry and have been known to use massive amounts of force to extort, kidnap and kill.

Such events have occurred in Guatemala City and rural Guatemala.

There have been “express” kidnappings in recent years, primarily in Guatemala City, in which kidnappers demand a relatively small ransom that they believe can be quickly gathered.

U.S. citizens, although not specifically targeted, have been kidnap victims.

Some kidnapping gangs are known to kill their victims whether or not the ransom is paid.

In January 2012, a U.S. citizen was kidnapped in Santa Rosa and was reportedly killed when kidnappers did not get the demanded ransom.

In August 2012, kidnappers seized a 17-year-old in Chiquimula; the child was eventually returned.

In September 2013, a U.S. citizen was kidnapped while visiting family and was held for ransom for approximately two weeks before she was able to escape.

In February, 2013, a 19-year-old dual U.S.–Guatemalan citizen female was kidnapped in a suburb of Guatemala City; she was released after 5 days in captivity.

In total, six U.S.

To decrease the likelihood of becoming a victim, do not display items of value such as laptops, iPods, tablet computers, cameras, or jewelry and refrain from using a cell phone on the street.

Carry a photocopy of your passport when out and about to avoid losing it during a robbery.

The Embassy discourages its employees from carrying large sums of money.

Do not resist if you are being robbed.

Victims have been killed when they resisted attack or refused to give up their money or other valuables.

Assailants are often armed with guns and do not hesitate to use them if you resist.

Emboldened armed robbers have attacked vehicles on main roads in broad daylight.

Travel on rural roads increases the risk of being stopped by a criminal roadblock or ambush.

Widespread narcotics and alien-smuggling activities make remote areas especially dangerous.

There is no evidence that U.S. citizens are specifically targeted, although an appearance of wealth could increase the chances that you might become a focus of attention for criminal gangs.

Criminals look for any opportunity to strike, so all travelers should remain constantly vigilant.

A number of travelers have experienced carjackings and armed robberies after just having arrived on international flights, most frequently in the evening.

In the most common scenario, tourists or business travelers who land at the airport after dark are held up by armed men as their vehicle departs the airport, but similar incidents have occurred at other times of the day.

Private vehicles, taxis and shuttle buses have all been targeted.

Typically, the assailants steal money, passports, and luggage, and in some but not all cases, the assailants steal the vehicle as well.

In some cases, assailants have been wearing full or partial police uniforms and have used vehicles that resemble police vehicles, indicating that some elements of the police might be involved.

Armed robberies have occurred within minutes of a tourist’s vehicle having been stopped by the police.

Recently, many of these attacks have taken place far from the airport, just as travelers were arriving at their homes, or in less busy areas of the city.

Victims who did not resist the attackers were not physically injured.

Security escorts for tourist groups and security information are available from the Tourist Assistance Office (PROATUR) of INGUAT (the Guatemalan Tourism Institute) at 7a Avenida 1-17.

Zona 4, Centro Civico, Guatemala City.

INGUAT’s PROATUR division has 24-hour/seven days per week direct telephone numbers for tourist assistance and emergencies.

You may call them at (502) 2421-2810, fax them at (502) 2421-2891, or simply dial 1500 in Guatemala to reach INGUAT Tourist Assistance.

You can also contact INGUAT by e-mail.

PROATUR also maintains regional offices in all major tourist destinations in Guatemala, and the regional delegates provide rapid and appropriate assistance to crime and accident victims.

Travelers may also wish to visit INGUAT’s web site (Spanish only).

Tourist groups are advised to request security escorts from INGUAT.

There have been no incidents of armed robbery of groups escorted through the Tourist Protection Program.

The request should be submitted by mail, fax, or e-mail and should arrive at INGUAT at least three business days in advance of the proposed travel.

Requests should be directed to the attention of the Coordinator of the National Tourist Assistance Program, and should provide the itinerary, names of travelers, and model and color of the vehicle in which they will be traveling.

Travelers should be aware that INGUAT might not be able to accommodate all requests.

Taxis: Hailing taxis on the street in Guatemala City is discouraged.

Taxi Seguro can be reached at 2312-4243, but may not always be available, especially late at night.

Taxi Amarillo Express is a radio-dispatch taxi service, and can be reached by dialing 1766.

The Guatemalan tourist assistance agency, PROATUR, may be able to provide additional inform

While in a foreign country, you are subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law.

Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.

If you break local laws in Guatemala, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not wherever you go.

Persons violating Guatemalan laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.

Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Guatemala are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Pseudoephedrine is banned in Guatemala since it can be used in the manufacture of methamphetamines.

Possession or distribution of drugs containing pseudoephedrine is illegal and can result in arrest of violators.

Arrest notifications in Guatemala: While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S.

The full range of medical care is available in Guatemala City, but medical care outside the city is limited.

Guatemala's public hospitals frequently experience serious shortages of basic medicines and equipment.

Care in private hospitals is generally adequate for most common illnesses and injuries, and many of the medical specialists working in them are U.S.-trained and -certified.

While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

The information below concerning Guatemala is provided for general reference only, and may not apply to all locations or circumstances.

Driving in Guatemala requires one's full attention, and all drivers must take extraordinary efforts to drive defensively to avoid dangerous situations.

Traffic rules are only casually observed.

Many drivers do not use their turn signals to alert other drivers.

Instead, a common custom is for a driver or passenger to stick a hand out the window and wave it to indicate that they will be taking an unspecified action.

Speed limits, lane markings, and stop signs are frequently ignored.

Passing blindly on winding and/or steep mountain roads, poorly designed surfaces, and unmarked hazards, including frequent landslides and precarious temporary highway repairs, all present additional risks to motorists.

Lethal head-on collisions are common.

All drivers involved in accidents resulting in injury may be detained and held in protective custody pending investigation.

In several instances, police officers have been posted outside hospital rooms of drivers who were injured and they were not allowed to depart the country without judicial intervention.

Such cases require the assistance of private local attorneys.

Common public transportation is by local brightly-painted recycled school buses, which serve almost every town in the country.

Criminal activity and frequent fatal accidents, however, make the low-priced inter-city buses particularly dangerous.

Modern inter-city buses offer some security from highway violence, but armed attacks are increasing, indicating that all buses are vulnerable.

(See additional information in the CRIME section.) Although city streets are lit, secondary and rural roads have little to no illumination.

Driving outside of urban areas at night is dangerous and not recommended.

The Inter-American Highway (CA-1) and the road from Guatemala City to the Caribbean coast (CA-9) are especially dangerous due to heavy traffic, including large trucks and trailers.

There are no roadside assistance clubs; however, a roadside assistance force (PROVIAL) patrols most of the major highways in the country.

PROVIAL can be contacted by calling 2419-2121.

Their vehicles are equipped with basic tools and first aid supplies, and their services are free.

Police patrol the major roadways and may assist travelers, but the patrols are sporadic and may be suspended due to budget constraints.

For roadside assistance, travelers may call the police by dialing 110 or 120 or the fire department by dialing 122 or 123.

Cellular telephone service covers most areas frequented by tourists.

Cars and trucks are often stalled or parked in the middle of the road.

Tree branches are sometimes placed in the road a hundred meters or so before the stalled vehicle to warn approaching traffic of the hazard.

While driving in or near large cities, be vigilant of pedestrians who unexpectedly dart across roads, even in heavy traffic due to the lack of cross walks.

Valid U.S. driver's licenses are accepted for the first 30 days of a visit, and international driving permits are accepted in Guatemala for extended stays.

Guatemala's road safety authorities are the Department of Transit and the Joint Operations Center of the National Police.

Drivers use the right-hand side of the road in Guatemala, and speed limits are posted (in kilometers) depending on the condition of the road.

Speed limits are rarely enforced, and drivers often drive at the absolute maximum speed their vehicle can handle at that particular time.

These drivers share the road with slow vehicles, some barely able to manage 20 miles per hour, creating a hazardous mix of velocities.

Turning right on red is not permitted unless otherwise posted, and drivers must yield when entering a traffic circle.

Seat belts must be worn in Guatemala, but there