Guatemala - Dangers

Dangers & Annoyances

No one could pretend that Guatemala is a very safe country. There are just too many stories of robbery, often armed robbery, for that. Rapes and murders of tourists have also happened. The two most frequently reported types of nasty incident involving tourists are highway robbery, when a vehicle is stopped and its occupants relieved of their belongings, and robberies on walking trails. For a scary litany of recent incidents, visit the website of Guatemala City's US embassy and click on 'Recent Crime Incidents Involving Foreigners.' Further, marginally less alarming, information is on the website of the US Department of State and the website of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Vehicles carrying tourists, such as shuttle minibuses and buses along heavily touristed routes, seem to be a prime target for highway robbery. On this basis, some people argue that chicken buses are the most risk-free way to travel, but chicken buses are certainly not exempt from holdups. No road in the country is exempt from this risk, but those that are most frequently mentioned include the Interamericana (CA-1) between the Antigua and Panajachel turnoffs and near the Salvadoran border, the CA-2 near the Salvadoran and Mexican borders, and the CA-13 between the Belizean border and the Puente Ixlu (El Cruce) junction.

Robberies against tourists on walking trails tend to occur in isolated spots on well-known walks. Some trails around the Lago de Atitlan and near Livingston and on Agua volcano outside Antigua are particularly notorious The Tikal archaeological site, Pacaya volcano and Cerro de la Cruz (Antigua), all the scenes of several incidents not so long ago, have become, for now, safer because of increased police and ranger presence designed to protect tourism.

Other dangers are pickpocketing, bag-snatching, bag-slitting and the like in crowded bus stations, buses, streets and markets, but also in empty, dark city streets.

It is impossible to remove the element of risk from traveling in Guatemala, but it is possible to reduce that risk by always staying alert to the behavior of other people around you (watch out for people who get unwarrantedly close to you in any situation) and by following a few simple precautions:

• Only carry on your person the money, cards, checks and valuables that you have immediate need of. Leave the rest in a sealed, signed envelope in your hotel's safe, and obtain a receipt for the envelope. If your hotel doesn't have a safe, it is usually safer to secrete your money and valuables in three or four different stashes among your locked luggage in your room, than to carry them out with you.
• Be aware that any purse or bag in plain sight may be slashed or grabbed. At ticket counters in bus stations, keep your bag between your feet.
• Do not flaunt jewelry, cameras or valuable-looking watches. Keep your wallet or purse out of view.
• On buses keep your important valuables with you, and keep a close hold on them.
• Do not wander alone in empty city streets or isolated areas, particularly at night.
• When using ATMs (cash machines), keep alert to people nearby. Don't accept help from strangers when using ATMs.
• Keep informed by talking to travelers, hotel staff and others, and consulting official information sources such as the US and UK government websites, your country's embassy in Guatemala City, and Inguat.
• Hiking in large groups and/or with a police escort reduces the risk of robbery.
• Resisting or trying to flee from robbers usually makes the situation worse.

Hiking on active volcanoes obviously has an element of risk. Get the latest story before you head out. In the wet season, go up volcanoes in the morning before rain and possible thunderstorms set in. A Canadian tourist was killed by lightning on Pacaya volcano in 2002. There have been a few bizarre incidents in which foreign visitors have been unjustly suspected of malicious designs against Guatemalan children. Be careful not to put yourself in any situation that might be misinterpreted.

Any crowd can be volatile, especially when drunk or at times of political tension.

Reporting a Robbery or Theft

After a theft you may need a statement from the police for your insurance company. Tell them: 'Yo quisiera poner una acta de un robo' ('I'd like to report a robbery'). This should make it clear that you merely want a piece of paper and aren't going to ask the police to do anything active.

Scams

One common scenario is for someone to spray ketchup or some other sticky liquid on your clothes. An accomplice then appears to help you clean up the mess and robs you in the process. Other methods of distraction, such as dropping a purse or coins, or someone appearing to faint, are also used by pickpockets and bag snatchers.