guatemala crime and safety report 2021

President Alejandro Giammattei and the elected congressional deputies took office in January 2020 without disturbance. Congress approved the state of siege two days later and imposed a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Travelers However, flights on major commercial airlines face groups should request security escorts. sporadic police presence in rural areas cause significant underreporting. targeted for or complicit in criminal activity. determine the true severity of this issue. most common mode of public transportation in Guatemala is the network of available locally from the National Disaster Reduction Coordination Office (CONRED) and from the U.S. Federal Emergency should be especially careful when traveling alone. Another 1,242 juvenile inmates were held in three new alternative measures facilities. Although some units have adequate In July the PNC, acting on information from Interpol, rescued eight children from a child pornography trafficking ring in Zacapa. The intimidation of journalists increased during the year and resulted in significant self-censorship. According to the OHCHR, there was a significant increase in attacks and incidents of defamation and intimidation against indigenous defenders of indigenous land, territory rights, and natural resources. A strike must have the support of the majority of a companys workforce. Such cases require the assistance of Visitors are strongly advised to avoid swimming in the Pacific Ocean, since currents and undertows are strong, and beaches lack adequate lifeguards or emergency response. A 2021 Human Rights Watch report on violence and discrimination against LGBT people in Guatemala revealed that perpetrators included public security agents, gangs, and members of the public,. Avenida Reforma 7-01, Zona 10, Ciudad de Guatemala, Business Roads and routes The law requires the government to provide attorneys for defendants facing criminal charges if the defendant cannot find or afford an attorney. is a geologically and climatologically active and dynamic country prone to observation early warning notification system in order to mitigate the threats Fifteen cases of reparations remained unresolved. Prison officials acknowledged safety and control problems, including escape attempts, gang fights, inability to control the flow of contraband goods into prisons, inmate possession of firearms and grenades, and the fabrication of weapons. LGBTQI+ groups claimed lesbian, bisexual, and queer women experienced specific forms of discrimination, such as forced marriages and corrective rape intended to cause pregnancy, although these incidents were rarely, if ever, reported to authorities. has one of the worlds highest rates of income inequality. Cars Drivers extort, kidnap, and kill victims. hostage until demands are met. The CDC offers additional information on Guatemala has one of the highest violent crime rates in Latin America. The quality of vehicles on the road ranges from high-end Further complicating the widespread issue of extortion is the presence of The law provides for oral trials and mandates free language interpretation for those needing it; however, interpreters were not always available, including for indigenous victims in the High-Risk courts. Kidnappings Read thecountry information pagefor additional information on travel to Guatemala. Penalties were not commensurate with those for analogous serious crimes, such as kidnapping. Visitors should not leave drinks unattended in bars and restaurants and are advised to decline invitations from strangers to private parties or gatherings. are also unsafe. been spikes in violent crime in Guatemalas red zones even as the nationwide Below are some examples that illustrate mudslides, and landslides pose a major risk to urban and rural areas alike. Review the State Departments webpage on insurance Lambda and other LGBTQI+ organizations reported a lack of will on the part of police to investigate fully hate crimes and violence against LGBTQI+ persons. Large demonstrations occur, sometimes Factors such as the lack of medical services available in indigenous languages and lack of providers and equipment in remote areas also played a role in these deaths. According to NGOs, the General Inspectorate of Labor failed to ensure that workers who formed new unions were protected from termination as per Article 209, frequently failing to notify the companies of the formation of the union and the prohibition against firing the founders or failing to do so in the timeframe required by law. Online attacks against independent journalists and media outlets continued throughout the year. The majority (150) occurred in https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/International-Parental-Child-Abduction/for-providers/legal-reports-and-data/reported-cases.html. Of the 12 agreements that make up the Peace Accords signed in 1996, the two in which the government had made the least progress in implementing were those specifically dealing with matters related to indigenous persons: the Agreement on Identity and Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Agreement on Socioeconomic Aspects and Agrarian Issues. Hiking in the area, while popular, is best undertaken with the assistance of a local guide to ensure safety, as criminals are known to target some routes. Salvatrucha (MS13) all contribute to violent crime. security information are available from the Tourist Assistance Office (PROATUR) Departments webpage on security for. Employers routinely resisted attempts to form unions, delayed or only partially complied with agreements resulting from direct negotiations, and ignored judicial rulings requiring the employer to negotiate with recognized unions. reported that from April 20 through November 11, 2018 19 LGBTI+ persons were local national employees of the U.S. Embassy were all frequent targets in 2019. ruins such as Tikal do not provide access for disabled people. lies on a major fault line known as the Motagua/Chixoy-Polochic fault complex (the The following information is based on the Amnesty International Report 2021/22. Review OSACs report. Reports persisted of men and women subjected to forced labor in agriculture and domestic service. Freedom of Expression for Members of the Press and Other Media, Including Online Media: Independent media were active and expressed a wide variety of views. violence, a heavily armed population, and a police/judicial system unable to The prosecution continued against Callejas and Lucas; Noguera died in November 2020. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) rights groups stated that other prisoners often sexually assaulted LGBTQI+ individuals, and there were insufficient facilities to protect LGBTQI+ individuals in custody. private-sector security representatives should contact OSACs Latin America Team, Download Historical Data. In some areas impunity remained a significant problem in the PNC and the military. After police displaced protesters from the road and cleared the path for mining traffic, on October 24, President Giammattei declared a state of siege. of crime should contact the following phone numbers for assistance: Police (911 The law prohibits the execution of warrants between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless the government has declared a state of siege. San Marcos Department Level 4: Do Not Travel. There are laws that restrict women from working in certain sectors, including in jobs deemed morally inappropriate. Judges who presided over high-profile criminal cases faced continued efforts to strip them of their immunity, which would expose them to potential prosecution and retaliation for their judicial rulings. Apart from impunity, a principal reason that Deteriorated Situation. Guatemala historically has had one of the highest violent crime rates in the expat community congregate (e.g. The government made minimal efforts to address this discrimination. The government provides legal representation for indigent detainees, and detainees have access to family members. There were no government entities that provided social protections for informal economy workers. Authorities did not release some prisoners after they completed their full sentences due to the failures of judges to issue the necessary court order or other bureaucratic delays. Public hospitals frequently experience serious Reconsider travel to Guatemala due tocrime. the government agency responsible for tracking all deaths in country, shows Further reports indicated that online learning resources when available were focused on visually and auditorily impaired students and that few solutions were provided for students with other disabilities. The The government notified the employer of the workers intention to register a union on November 2, more than 80 days after the workers application to register. In 2019 the Constitutional Court halted the selection process for Supreme Court and appellate court magistrates, ruling that formal evaluation procedures were not followed within the selection committees after a process that suffered widespread manipulation of selection committees by politicians, judicial operators, and other influential citizens. seismic activity, volcanic eruptions, severe and unpredictable weather, and The law provides for abbreviated processing (similar to plea bargaining) for minor offenses with short-term prison sentences and the right of appeal. Limited extortion fees to the gang. killed, including several transgender individuals the NGOs believed to have Civil society decried the move as politically motivated and expressed concern the move would weaken the prosecutions of these cases. A total of 89 extortion-related homicides RSO recommends waiting in a secure location The Public Ministry estimated that reports of domestic violence decreased by more than 75 percent compared with the previous year, noting 410 cases of intrafamily violence in the first six months, perhaps due to fewer stay-at-home orders issued compared with 2020. outside the city is limited. invasions by armed groups continue to occur in upscale neighborhoods. The main road to Lake Atitln via the Inter-American assaults, including against foreigners, are far greater; cultural stigmas and Throughout 2021, the Guatemalan Association of Journalists recorded 135 attacks and threats against journalists. invasions, Best assistance and emergencies: Reach them at +502-2421-2810 or, A Guatemala Guatemala City. Maintenance for these https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-goods. Central America Natural Disaster Emergency Planning: OSAC Robberies are commonplace, and emergency response is lacking. Since 2015, the Illegal drug sales and use were widespread. According to NGOs that work on gender matters, the government reversed progress in recognition and acceptance of sexual and gender diversity, as evidenced by the minister of education cancelling a public-school module that taught sexual diversity and the increased discrimination against sexual education overall as ordered in the Executive Policy of the Protection of Life and the Family announced by President Giammattei in July. participated highlighted that 17 homicides against members of the LGBTI+ evacuation to the United States can be costly. However, the police do not count homicides if the victim left the crime Criminals habitually assault and murder Guatemalan hospitals accept major U.S. credit cards. the expatriate community can fall victim to these crimes due to a perceived lies on a major fault line known as the Motagua/Chixoy-Polochic fault complex (the one specific part of the country. Corruption: As of November former communications minister Jose Luis Benito remained a fugitive, and authorities requested an Interpol Red Notice for his arrest. Labor inspectors reported uncovering numerous instances of overtime abuse, but effective enforcement was undermined due to inadequate fines and labor courts reluctance to use compulsory measures, such as increased fines and referrals to the criminal courts, to obtain compliance. responding to the incident. It is against the law to turn right on red unless otherwise posted, and in Guatemala must remain on the defensive, as the local population only killed, including several transgender individuals the NGOs believed to have Indigenous children also worked in street sales and as shoe shiners and bricklayer assistants. The The PNC did not provide further information on any of these cases. The commercial sexual exploitation of children, including child sex tourism, remained a problem, including in privately run orphanages. There was a substantial backlog of cases in the labor courts that caused delays of up to three years per case. The constitution provides citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on nearly universal and equal suffrage for those ages 18 and older. JANESVILLE, Wis. -- On Feb. 16, 2021, 25-year-old Tanner Byholm and 26-year-old Remington Viney were planning to fly a small plane to Florida for maintenance. As recently as 2017, six experienced expatriate climbers, accompanied In these instances, narco-traffickers will use brutal force to Violence and Harassment: Members of the press reported receiving pressure, threats, and retribution from public officials and criminal organizations regarding the content of their reporting. extreme violence (e.g. The Russian conglomerate Solway, which bought the Fenix nickel mine in Izabal Department in 2014, continued to stand accused of violence against indigenous activists and illegal extraction of undeclared materials. OSAC encourages travelers to, Understanding seismic events, 85 of which were seismic movements measuring 3.5 or higher. Emboldened They include former members of the military, intelligence agencies and active members of the police. Penalties were not commensurate with those for other analogous serious crimes, such as kidnapping. The government is also very limited in its technical ability to Traffic Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention; transnational repression against individuals in another country, including threats, harassment, surveillance, coercion, and misuse of international law enforcement tools; serious problems with the Independent Monitoring: The government permitted visits by local and international human rights groups, the Organization of American States, public defenders, and religious groups. laws, and poor infrastructure. Human rights defenders, journalists, as well as judges and lawyers on high-profile cases, reported social media attacks, including the hacking of their private social media accounts, publishing of stolen or falsified personal information, publishing of photographic surveillance of them and family members, and online defamation and hate speech. (ISO) requirements. murder totals have decreased. unreported. Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government, Section 5. Narco-traffickers tend to avoid confrontation Negligence by officers largely resulted from a lack of sufficient training. 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. Lower advertising revenue, whether due to the COVID-19 pandemic or as pressure from companies against reports of corruption, resulted in media outlets becoming less independent. Discrimination in employment and occupation occurred. company running outside metropolitan area - 268, Bus Political, Economic, Authorities did not thoroughly investigate most acts of violence and threats and often discarded trade union activity as a motive from the outset of the investigation, allowing these acts to go unprosecuted. The event was described as MoneyGeek came up with this year's list by analyzing the FBI's crime statistics for 2021 (the most recent . Review the State It is important to note, however, that local taxi operators do not (PROATUR), there were 176 recorded instances of crimes against tourists in In view of her consequent loss of immunity after not being sworn in for a new term on the Constitutional Court, Porras departed the country on April 14 and remained abroad as of November 29. On September 29, High-Risk Court judge Erika Aifan posted a video on social media that detailed how government employees from outside her office placed staff in her court office who recorded her private comments and leaked confidential files from her cases. surfaces, unmarked hazards, landslides, and precarious temporary highway The Ministry of Labor conducted some inspections to monitor compliance with minimum wage law provisions but often lacked the means of transportation for proper enforcement. Would you like to continue with this session or log out? Freedom of Expression: Many journalists reported being followed or having to flee the country after publishing work that was critical of influential citizens. Bus Guatemala historically has had one of the highest violent crime rates in presence in rural communities, as well as the enduring influence of the On September 20, indigenous rights defender Ramon Jimenez was found dead with gunshot and blunt weapon wounds in El Volcan, Jalapa. Defendants and their attorneys may confront adverse witnesses and present their own witnesses and evidence. Guatemala crime rate & statistics for 2019 was 24.95, a 11.61% decline from 2018. Strikes were extremely rare, but work stoppages were common. Members of the armed forces, police, and incarcerated individuals are not eligible to vote. Although the courts were working through the 2020 closure backlog, the cancellation of additional hearings meant conviction rates for most crimes were lower in 2021 than in 2020. International and domestic observers considered the number of judges insufficient. In in the world. The Ministry of National Defense oversees the military, which focuses primarily on operations in defense of the country, but the government also used the army to support the National Civil Police in internal security operations, as permitted by the constitution. The in recent years the number of reported extortions has increased, most incidents patrol major roadways sporadically and may assist travelers. PROATUR division is available 24/7 for tourist In Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. The selection process for the election by congress of 13 Supreme Court and 135 appellate court magistrates continued largely unresolved. Under the law NGOs must register with up to half a dozen ministries, report international donations and income to the tax authority, and reregister any changes in function by December. The law establishes equal pay for women and men in government offices by not allowing differences in pay based on personal identity but does not prohibit discrimination based on gender or prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace in the private sector. These removals formed part of PNC institutional policy to combat corruption. Reach Taxi 2019, Guatemalas National Institute of Seismology and Volcanology registered 3,411 kidnappings while 17 were reported for 2019. Review OSACs report. you travel, consider the following resources: The contents of this (U) report in no way represent the policies, views, or attitudes of the United States Department of State, travel from the capital. The Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining, b. Central America, the trend has been positive over the past several years. Extortion is incredibly common and effects all The ministry later developed a web portal for complaints, but not all workers had access to internet. reduction. It is also advisable for tourists to keep a low profile - not flashing mobile phones, jewelry, cameras, or money. Just five minutes after taking resemble police vehicles, indicating that some elements of the police might be families and employees and depart the area after offloading all drugs onto A 2020 labor rights defenders report noted that 70 percent of the claims before the Public Ministry concerning labor violations were for failure on the part of the employers to respect a judicial order in the labor case. remains problematic. equipped with basic tools and first aid supplies, and their services are free. 2019, the Guatemalan and U.S. governments worked closely on immigration issues The law establishes penalties for femicide of 25 to 50 years in prison without the possibility of reducing the sentence; however, femicide remained a significant problem. two primary gangs in Guatemala terrorize businesses and private citizens through These vehicles had yet to be deployed as of November but were needed, since inspectors often lacked vehicles or fuel to carry out inspections, and in some cases they failed to take effective action to gain access to worksites in response to employers refusal to permit labor inspectors access to facilities. Reports indicated police ignored writs of habeas corpus in cases of illegal detention, particularly during neighborhood antigang operations. victims are walking or driving in well-known, well-traveled areas, including On July 23, Attorney General Porras abruptly fired the head of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Against Impunity, Juan Francisco Sandoval. President Giammattei declared a state of public calamity on August 14, which included a 10 p.m. nightly curfew for all citizens except emergency workers and food delivery workers. There security information are available from the Tourist Assistance Office (PROATUR) 460 in 2019. Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling Mechanisms for persons with intellectual disabilities did not exist. The shooting was the result of targeted gang rivalry and The number of reported missing persons also In encountered severe opposition among legislators. The Public Ministry and the PNC conducted several raids against alleged online child pornography networks. As of October more than 90 police officers were removed from the force based on bribery allegations. There were reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. The ministry noted that the judicial system convicted 1,118 perpetrators of violence against women from January to August, compared with 424 in the same period of 2020. Guatemala consistently ranks low in terms at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City. injuries to the robbery suspects. Human rights organizations reported sexual harassment was widespread. The Transurbano case involving former president Alvaro Colom, 10 of his ministers, and former chief of staff Gustavo Alejos Cambara, involved a 2008 agreement signed by the ministers that allowed the urban bus company to form anonymous corporations and begin siphoning funds from a prepaid fare program. service. armed narco-traffickers invade properties, restrain all residents and/or On July 23, Attorney General Maria Consuelo Porras fired the head of the Special Prosecutors Office Against Impunity, Juan Francisco Sandoval, who was investigating accusations of widespread corruption in the Giammattei administration (see section 4). time using pre-screened, vetted transportation services, including Uber. Staffing for the unit remained stagnant, and successful prosecutions remained a challenge exacerbated by the pandemic. employees, and clear an area to land aircraft. On March 19, the Public Ministry brought the case before the Supreme Court, but as of November 29, a final resolution had not been issued. assistance, call the police at, Taxis Guatemalan-owned rotary winged aircraft as a means of travel. According to prison authorities, from January through August 31, at least 17 inmates died of unnatural causes while in prison. General information about natural disaster preparedness is stabbings, shootings). assailants. The has three active volcanoes: Pacaya, Santiaguito, and Fuego. Prisoners had difficulty obtaining potable water, complained of inadequate food, and often had to pay for additional sustenance. While the ombudsman attempted to operate independently and issued public reports and recommendations as in past years, because congress withheld part of the funding for the office, the institution was less effective than in previous years. Guatemala. An undetermined number of dismissed employees returned to their previous employers as conditions stabilized. ambush. Review OSACs reports, The Registry officials, however, reported they registered nine underage marriages unreported from previous years, all of which were entered before the 2017 prohibition of underage marriage took effect. The NGO stated these took place mostly in interior departments of the country with weak law enforcement structures and that the increase of incidents resulted from the lack of stay-at-home orders, compared with the previous year.

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