South Africa 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Rep Bolivia 2020 Crime
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
South Africa 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Rep Bolivia 2020 Crime & Safety Report This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in La Paz. OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Bolivia. For more in-depth information, review OSAC’s country-specific page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. Travel Advisory The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses Bolivia at Level 2, indicating travelers should exercise increased caution due to civil unrest. Review OSAC’s report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. Overall Crime and Safety Situation Crime Threats The U.S. Department of State has assessed La Paz as being a MEDIUM-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Most reported criminal incidents involve non- confrontational property crimes that occur in major cities, particularly in markets and commercial districts. Tourists and visitors routinely report pickpocketing, purse snatching, and theft of jewelry/cell phones. This modus operandi has also been successful at the airports in La Paz and Santa Cruz. Stay alert for pickpockets when in crowds and aboard public transportation and be conscious of distractions created to target you. Violent crimes (e.g. assault, robbery) against foreigners are uncommon, but do occur. Exercise caution and maintain a heightened level of awareness in public. Bolivia has one of the highest domestic violence rates against women in South America. Media outlets have reported, “according to a 2016 national government survey, seven of every 10 women in Bolivia said they had suffered some type of violence inflicted by a partner.” Review the State Department’s webpage on security for female travelers. Foreign visitors are vulnerable to crime; criminals may perceive them as carrying greater amounts of cash or other valuables, such as cameras, than the average Bolivian. Stay particularly alert for pickpocketing and other crime in La Paz near the San Francisco church, El Alto market, markets on Sagarnaga Street and in the Sopocachi area, and in municipal bus stations/terminals. Review OSAC’s reports, All That You Should Leave Behind. Residential burglary has affected U.S. citizen residents. Residential burglaries are most common when houses are vacant, but thieves will also attempt to enter occupied residences via unsecured doors and windows, tricking domestic employees, or forcing access through residential perimeters. Thefts of unsecured bicycles, gardening tools, and lawn furniture are also common. South Africa 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Rep Bolivia 2020 Crime & Safety Report Vehicular vandalism and theft occur throughout Bolivia. Criminals steal spare parts and sell them on the black market. Criminals may rob unattended vehicles of computer modules, spare tires, sound systems, headrests, and other valuables. Use a car alarm and park in well-lighted areas, preferably in a paid parking lot. U.S. citizens in Bolivia have fallen victim to fraud related to their credit/debit cards. Skimming, the theft of credit card information during an otherwise legitimate transaction, can occur in restaurants or bars where the server takes the card out of the owner’s view. Pay for items in cash when possible, and use credit cards only at larger establishments (e.g. hotels). To avoid skimming, take the credit/debit card to the register yourself, and never let the card out of your sight. Also, be sure to monitor your bank account or credit card statement frequently. Review OSAC’s reports, The Overseas Traveler’s Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud and Taking Credit. There have been some instances of persons drugged in bars and clubs for the purpose of robbery. Pay careful attention to drinks as they are poured, and do not leave them unattended. Review OSAC’s report, Shaken: The Don’ts of Alcohol Abroad. Cybersecurity Issues The frequency and level of sophistication associated with cybercrime is relatively low. Review OSAC’s reports, Cybersecurity Basics, Best Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling with Mobile Devices: Trends & Best Practices, and Satellite Phones: Critical or Contraband? Transportation-Safety Situation Road Safety and Road Conditions The general disregard for traffic laws makes driving particularly dangerous. Pedestrians, with a general inattentiveness to traffic, pose a hazard to drivers. Accidents involving pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcycle/moped drivers are common in urban and rural areas alike. Added dangers are the lack of formal training for most drivers, lack of lights on vehicles, and drunk/overly tired drivers, including commercial bus drivers. Police rarely patrol most roads. Outside the major cities, road conditions are hazardous. Many roads are unpaved, while others are unimproved, with gravel/dirt surfaces. Unpaved roads can be quite dangerous during the rainy season (December-March) when rockslides and road/bridge washouts are common. Many winding stretches lack sufficient lighting, guardrails, traffic signs, or designated traffic lanes. Mountainous areas pose even greater challenges, with weather conditions varying from snow to heavy rainstorms, and narrow, unpaved roads frequently blocked by rock/mudslides. The North Yungas road (from La Paz toward Coroico and Caranavi) has earned the dubious designation of "The World’s Most Dangerous Road," and has become a hub for thrill-seeking mountain cyclists. Regular media reports describe accidents along the road, usually involving buses and multiple fatalities. As an alternative, use Carretera Cotapata – Santa Barbara, also referred to as the “Carretera nueva a Coroico.” South Africa 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Rep Bolivia 2020 Crime & Safety Report Many of the roads north of La Paz that pass through Guanay, Mapiri, Consata, Apolo, and Sorata are extremely dangerous due to landslides and narrow roadways traversing sheer cliffs. Compounding this, as these roads are lightly traveled, motorists involved in accidents or encountering mechanical problems often find themselves miles from the nearest village, with little hope of immediate assistance. Fast moving streams/rivers cross many roads in Beni province. Rivers, many with no bridges, frequently cross the road between La Paz and San Borja. Some of these crossings have barges propelled by a pull rope and pulley system. Due to regular civil unrest and the frequent use of roadblocks as a means of protest, as well as the destructive power of the rainy season on unimproved roads, check on road conditions and status before departing on overland trips. Those traveling in the Chapare and Yungas regions should take extra care and monitor local news and media before traveling. Demonstrations and roadblocks are also common in major cities and are generally non-violent as long as you do not attempt to cross them. Review OSAC’s reports, Road Safety Abroad, Driving Overseas: Best Practices, and Evasive Driving Techniques; and read the State Department’s webpage on driving and road safety abroad. Public Transportation Conditions Intra-departmental public transportation is poor, except along the more frequently traveled routes with upgraded and maintained roads (e.g. La Paz-Cochabamba, Cochabamba-Santa Cruz, and La Paz-Oruro). Bus service along these routes is generally safe, although accidents occur, often with fatalities. Urban bus transportation can be risky for foreigners, with frequently reported incidents of theft and robbery. Use taxis that are clearly marked with the name of an established taxi company. There are multiple app- based taxi and transportation services. Arranging taxi service known to or contracted by hotels is also a good option. Review OSAC’s report, Security In Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. Terrorism Threat The U.S. Department of State has assessed La Paz as being a LOW-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Political, Economic, Religious, and Ethnic Violence Civil Unrest The U.S. Department of State has assessed La Paz as being a HIGH-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Demonstrations, roadblocks, protests, and other forms of civil unrest are common, especially in La Paz, Santa Cruz, and Cochabamba. South Africa 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Rep Bolivia 2020 Crime & Safety Report Widespread national civil protests occurred for several weeks following a disputed election in October 2019. Protestors burned electoral offices in multiple regions across Bolivia, and armed groups targeted politicians’ homes and vandalized police offices in La Paz and El Alto, causing panic in many neighborhoods. In response, people blocked the streets and buildings with heavy objects to protect stores and houses. Drinking water supplies to some parts of El Alto and La Paz, the second- and third-largest cities in Bolivia, were temporarily unavailable. Schools and workplaces in La Paz closed for public safety. Barricades blocked roads that lead to El Alto International airport (LPB). Because of blockades from various protests surrounding La Paz, some goods were also not able to enter. Food supplies were unavailable for a short period, leading to rationing of some foodstuffs in El Alto and La Paz. Since the resignation