DOCSLIB.ORG

Guatemala 2020 Crime & Safety Report

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Guatemala 2020 Crime & Safety Report Guatemala 2020 Crime & Safety Report This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City. OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Guatemala. 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 Guatemala at Level 2, indicating travelers should exercise increased caution due to crime. Reconsider travel to Guatemala, Escuintla, Chiquimula, Quetzaltenango, Izabal, and Peten departments due to crime. 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 Guatemala City as being a CRITICAL-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. There is a critical threat in all other departments of the country as well. Crime in Guatemala stems from many sources, and its impact is magnified by various issues such as corruption, an inadequate justice system, and the prevalence of both gang and narco activity across the country. The most common crimes against expatriates include petty theft and armed robbery. Many robberies occur during daylight hours while victims are walking or driving in well- known, well-traveled areas, including markets, public parks, and popular restaurant districts. Even the most upscale residential and commercial areas of Guatemala City (Zones 4, 10, 14, 15, and 16) experience violent crimes in broad daylight. These trends are not isolated to one specific part of the country. No area in Guatemala is immune to crime, including the most popular tourist destinations such as Antigua and Tikal. The U.S. Embassy Regional Security Office (RSO) continues to advise all U.S. citizens to be very vigilant of their surroundings and report any crime incidents promptly to the police. Theft and armed robbery are the most common crimes committed against U.S. citizens (infrequently, RSO receives reports of extortion attempts as well). Members of the expatriate community can fall victim to these crimes due to a perceived display of affluence, or by not following sound personal security practices. However, one emerging element of the criminal threat in 2019 is violence stemming from gang rivalries and extortion occurring in areas where members of the expat community congregate (e.g. malls). Further, acts of extreme violence employing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have occurred against public transportation and business in an attempt to extort targeted individuals. According to official statistics released by the National Board of Tourist Assistance (PROATUR), there were 176 recorded instances of crimes against tourists in Guatemala in 2019, with approximately 2.6 million registered tourists having visited the country during the year. Below are some examples that illustrate the gravity of the crime threat: On January 21, 2019, at approximately 1045hrs, an IED exploded in the doorway of a public bus traveling through Zone 7 in Guatemala City, located 3.5 miles from the Embassy. Reports indicate the bus driver was the victim of gang-related extortion operations. As retaliation for non-payment, a confirmed associate 1 of the gang Barrio 18, set off an IED approximately the size of a grenade inside the bus. In addition to the perpetrator, five victims went to local hospitals for treatment of injuries. On January 27, 2019, Guatemala National Police rendered safe an IED in Guatemala City eight miles north of the U.S. Embassy. Police said the gang Barrio 18 intended to attack taxi drivers to pressure them into paying extortion fees to the gang. Police arrested one Barrio 18 gang member in connection with the attempt. On February 26, 2019, at approximately 1230hrs, three third-party contractors working for a U.S. government agency and based in El Salvador reported they were shot at while driving near Rio Dulce. On May 1, 2019, an attempted robbery occurred within a block of the U.S. Ambassador’s residence. Armed security discharged their weapons in response, resulting in injuries to the robbery suspects. On June 9, 2019, at approximately 0130hrs, a 20-year-old local man was shot and killed, and a 15-year- old local boy was seriously wounded in front of a Shell gas station. Authorities arrested two members of Mara Salvatrucha in connection with the shooting. The shooting was the result of targeted gang rivalry and occurred about a kilometer from the construction site of the new U.S. embassy compound. On June 23, 2019 at around 1358 hrs., a U.S. citizen was passing through 32 Av. Calzada Roosevelt in Zone 11 to go shopping at Walmart with a friend. While en route, she was the victim of a robbery which resulted in a gunshot wound to her leg after she refused to comply with the robber's demands. On August 25, 2019 at 1210hrs, the spouse of a U.S. Embassy third party contractor was the victim of an attempted robbery while returning to her apartment complex. On September 20, 2019, at approximately 0430hrs, a triple homicide occurred at a nightclub approximately 575 meters south of the U.S. Embassy. On September 21, 2019, at approximately 0200hrs local time, a U.S. embassy employee was robbed. The incident occurred 700 meters southeast of the U.S. Embassy. Trends and Analysis A common trend in the commission of armed robberies is the use of motorcycles by assailants. Typically, two men on a motorcycle accost the driver of a car or pedestrian and demand valuables and cell phones. Often, a second pair of armed individuals accompany the assailants, functioning as lookouts. If the assailants encounter any resistance, they escalate the situation through extreme violence (e.g. stabbings, shootings). The use of motorcycles allows the assailants to flee quickly; police rarely apprehend them. Additionally, pickpockets and purse-snatchers are active in all cities and tourist sites. Petty criminals frequently target high-traffic tourist areas for petty crime. Markets, national parks, crowded venues, and shopping areas are all major areas of operation for criminals. Review OSAC’s report, All That You Should Leave Behind. Although Guatemala historically has had one of the highest violent crime rates in Central America, the trend has been positive over the past several years. Guatemala’s homicide rate peaked at 45 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in 2009, but by the end of 2018 had dropped to about 22. In 2018, the police reported 3,881 homicides; a figure slightly higher than the 3,578 homicides reported for 2019. The number of reported missing persons also evinced a slight downward trend, with a total of 2,351 reported cases compared to 2,500 the year prior. RSO uses official police crime statistics for this report. However, the police do not count homicides if the victim left the crime scene alive but subsequently died from injuries elsewhere. INACIF (Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Forenses de Guatemala), the government agency responsible for tracking all deaths in country, shows homicide rates 8-16% higher than police homicide rates. Despite the slight downward trend, Guatemala remains among the most dangerous countries in the world. Endemic poverty, an abundance of weapons, a legacy of societal conflict, and the presence of organized criminal gangs Barrio 18 (18th Street) and Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) all contribute to violent crime. Guatemala’s alarmingly high murder rate appears driven by narco-trafficking activity, gang-related violence, a heavily armed population, and a police/judicial system unable to hold criminals accountable. The two primary gangs in Guatemala terrorize businesses and private citizens through targeted extortion attempts. Extortion is incredibly common and effects all sectors of society, with public bus and taxi drivers being the easiest and most common victims. However, local small businesses, the U.S. private sector, and local national employees of the U.S. Embassy were all frequent targets in 2019. The gangs also target schoolchildren, street vendors, and local residents. Although in recent years the number of reported extortions has increased, most incidents go unreported and there is uncertainty about the true magnitude of the problem. Further complicating the widespread issue of extortion is the presence of persons who imitate gang members in order to threaten and receive extortion payments despite not belonging to gangs. Gang members usually punish non-compliant victims with violent assault or murder, and victimize their family members as punishment. A total of 89 extortion-related homicides were reported in 2019. While extortion activity is often associated with the transport sector and the receipt of extortion payments from bus drivers, extortion threats are also reported in other commercial sections such as restaurant and store owners. Further, the number and type and extortion victims has increased through the use of social media in recent years. Gangs members and imitators will use various types of social media to threaten their targets and receive extortion payments. PNC reported 14,714 cases of extortion in 2019. The following is a breakdown of victim types and number of cases: Houses - 8,009 Business - 5,205 Persons - 665 Bus company running outside metropolitan area - 268 Taxi - 173 Transportation provider - 95 Schools - 86 Bus company running in metropolitan areas - 84 Trailer truck - 38 Other - 36 Unknown victim - 21 Prison - 10 Bus school - 9 Hospital - 7 Government Office - 3 Church - 3 Musical group - 2 Home invasions by armed groups continue to occur in upscale neighborhoods. There were 511 reported residential robberies in 2018 compared to 628 in 2017, an 18% reduction.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Guatemala Genocide Cases: Universal Jurisdiction and Its Limits
    © The Guatemala Genocide Cases: Universal Jurisdiction and Its Limits by Paul “Woody” Scott* INTRODUCTION Systematic murder, genocide, torture, terror and cruelty – all are words used to describe the campaigns of Guatemalan leaders, including President Jose Efrain Rios Montt, directed toward the indigenous Mayans in the Guatemalan campo. The United Nations-backed Truth Commission concludes that the state carried out deliberate acts of genocide against the Mayan indigenous populations.1 Since Julio Cesar Mendez Montenegro took Guatemalan presidential office in 1966, Guatemala was involved in a bloody civil war between the army and guerrilla groups located in the Guatemalan countryside. The bloodshed escalated as Montt, a fundamentalist Christian minister, rose to power in 1982 after taking part in a coup d’état and becoming the de facto president of Guatemala. He was in power for just sixteen months, considered by many to be the bloodiest period of Guatemala’s history.2 Under his sixteen-month rule, more than 200,000 people were victims of homicide or forced kidnappings, 83% of whom were of indigenous Mayan origin. Indigenous Mayans were targeted, killed, tortured, raped, and * Paul “Woody” Scott is an associate attorney with Jeri Flynn & Associates in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His practice is primarily immigration law and criminal defense, specializing in defending immigrants charged with criminal offenses, and deportation defense. He was born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras and moved to the United States at a very early age. He is fluent in both English and Spanish. 1 United Nations Office for Project Services [UNOPS], Commission for Historical Clarification [CEH], Conclusions and Recommendations, GUATEMALA, MEMORIA DEL SILENCIO [hereinafter, GUATEMALA, MEMORY OF SILENCE], Volume V, ¶ 26 (1999).
    [Show full text]
  • Maize Genetic Resources of Highland Guatemala in Space and Time
    Seeds, hands, and lands Maize genetic resources of highland Guatemala in space and time Promotoren Prof. dr. P. Richards Hoogleraar Technologie en Agrarische Ontwikkeling Wageningen Universiteit Prof. dr. ir. A.K. Bregt Hoogleraar Geo-informatiekunde Wageningen Universiteit Co-promotoren Dr. ir. S. de Bruin Universitair docent, Centrum voor Geo-Informatie Wageningen Universiteit Dr. ir. H. Maat Universitair docent, leerstoelgroep Technologie en Agrarische Ontwikkeling Wageningen Universiteit Promotiecommissie Dr. E.F. Fischer (Vanderbilt University, Nashville, USA) Dr. ir. Th.J.L. van Hintum (Centrum voor Genetische Bronnen Nederland, Wageningen) Prof. dr. L.E. Visser (Wageningen Universiteit) Prof. dr. K.S. Zimmerer (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA) Dit onderzoek is uitgevoerd binnen CERES Research School for Resource Studies for Development en C.T. de Wit Graduate School for Production Ecology and Resource Conservation. Seeds, hands, and lands Maize genetic resources of highland Guatemala in space and time Jacob van Etten Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor op gezag van de rector magnificus van Wageningen Universiteit, prof. dr. M.J. Kropff, in het openbaar te verdedigen op woensdag 11 oktober 2006 des namiddags te vier uur in de Aula © Jacob van Etten, except Chapter 2 Keywords: plant genetic resources, Guatemala, maize ISBN: 90-8504-485-5 Cover design: Marisa Rappard For Laura and Hanna Acknowledgments This work was financially supported by Wageningen University and Research Centre through the CERES Research School for Resource Studies for Human Development and through the C.T. de Wit Graduate School for Production Ecology and Resource Conservation. I am grateful for having such good supervisors, who advised me on crucial points but also allowed me much freedom.
    [Show full text]
  • Eta Y Iota En Guatemala
    Evaluación de los efectos e impactos de las depresiones tropicales Eta y Iota en Guatemala México Belice Petén Huehuetenango Guatemala Quiché Alta Verapaz Izabal Baja Verapaz San Marcos Zacapa Quetzaltenango Chiquimula Honduras Guatemala Sololá Suchitepéquez Jutiapa Escuintla El Salvador Nicaragua Gracias por su interés en esta publicación de la CEPAL Publicaciones de la CEPAL Si desea recibir información oportuna sobre nuestros productos editoriales y actividades, le invitamos a registrarse. Podrá definir sus áreas de interés y acceder a nuestros productos en otros formatos. www.cepal.org/es/publications Publicaciones www.cepal.org/apps Evaluación de los efectos e impactos de las depresiones tropicales Eta y Iota en Guatemala Este documento fue coordinado por Omar D. Bello, Oficial de Asuntos Económicos de la Oficina de la Secretaría de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), y Leda Peralta, Oficial de Asuntos Económicos de la Unidad de Comercio Internacional e Industria de la sede subregional de la CEPAL en México, en el marco de las actividades del Programa Ordinario de Cooperación Técnica implementado por la CEPAL. Fue preparado por Álvaro Monett, Asesor Regional en Gestión de Información Geoespacial de la División de Estadísticas de la CEPAL, y Juan Carlos Rivas y Jesús López, Oficiales de Asuntos Económicos de la Unidad de Desarrollo Económico de la sede subregional de la CEPAL en México. Participaron en su elaboración los siguientes consultores de la CEPAL: Raffaella Anilio, Horacio Castellaro, Carlos Espiga, Adrián Flores, Hugo Hernández, Francisco Ibarra, Sebastián Moya, María Eugenia Rodríguez y Santiago Salvador, así como los siguientes funcionarios del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID): Ginés Suárez, Omar Samayoa y Renato Vargas, y los siguientes funcionarios del Banco Mundial: Osmar Velasco, Ivonne Jaimes, Doris Souza, Juan Carlos Cárdenas y Mariano González.
    [Show full text]
  • OPTICS and the CULTURE of MODERNITY in GUATEMALA CITY SINCE the LIBERAL REFORMS a Thesis Submitted to the College of Graduate St
    OPTICS AND THE CULTURE OF MODERNITY IN GUATEMALA CITY SINCE THE LIBERAL REFORMS A Thesis Submitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy In the Department of History University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon By MICHAEL D. KIRKPATRICK © Michael D. Kirkpatrick, September 2013. All rights reserved. Permission to Use In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan, I agree that the libraries of this University may make it freely available for inspection. I further agree that permission for copying of this thesis in any manner, in whole or in part, for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor or professors who supervised my thesis work or, in their absence, by the department Head of the Department or the Dean of the College in which my thesis work was done. It is understood that any copy or publication use of this thesis or parts thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of Saskatchewan in any use which may be made of any material in my thesis. i ABSTRACT In the years after the Liberal Reforms of the 1870s, the capitalization of coffee production and buttressing of coercive labour regimes in rural Guatemala brought huge amounts of surplus capital to Guatemala City. Individual families—either invested in land or export houses—and the state used this newfound wealth to transform and beautify the capital, effectively inaugurating the modern era in the last decades of the nineteenth century.
    [Show full text]
  • World Bank Document
    ReportNo. 12313-GU Guatemala An Assessmentof Poverty Public Disclosure Authorized April 17, 1995 Country Department If Human ResourcesOperations Division Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office U~~~~~ Public Disclosure Authorized #W:~~~~~~~~2;- V Public Disclosure Authorized j -*a I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~T~4 Public Disclosure Authorized Currency Equivalents (as of December 14, 1994) Currency Unit = Quetzal (Q) US$ 1.00 = Q 5.78 Fiscal Year January-December GUATEMALA: AN ASSESSMENT OF POVERTY LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ARI - Acute Respiratory Infections AVANCSO - Association for the Advance of the Social Sciences (Asociaci6npara el Avance de las Ciencias Sociales en Guatemala) BANDESA - National Bank for Agricultural Development (Banco Nacional para el Desarrollo Agriculo) BOG - Bank of Guatemala CACM - Central American Common Market CEPAL - Economic Commissionfor Latin America and the Caribbean (UN) CDUR - Urban and Rural Development Councils (Consejos de Desarrollo Urbano y Rural) CG - Central Government CISMA - Center for Mayan Social Research (Centro de Investigaci6nSocial Maya) DIGEBOS - National Extension Service--Forestry (Direcci6n General de Bosques) DIGEPA - Project Support Office (Ministry of Education) (Direcci6n General de Proyectos de Apoyo) DIGESA - National Extension Service--Agriculture DIGESEPE - National Extension Service--Livestock DTP - Department of Technical Planning ENSD - National Socio-Demographic Household Survey (Encuesta Nacional Sociodemografica) FAFIDESS - National Financial ConsultingFoundation
    [Show full text]
  • Guatemala: Squeezed Between Crime and Impunity
    GUATEMALA: SQUEEZED BETWEEN CRIME AND IMPUNITY Latin America Report N°33 – 22 June 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... i I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 II. ROOTS OF PROTRACTED CONFLICT AND PERVASIVE VIOLENCE ............. 2 A. CIVIL WAR .................................................................................................................................. 3 B. LEGACY OF THE CONFLICT ........................................................................................................... 4 C. PEACE AND DISILLUSION ............................................................................................................. 4 D. MONUMENTAL CHALLENGES ....................................................................................................... 6 III. CRIME AND THE STATE .............................................................................................. 8 A. THE ARMED FORCES .................................................................................................................... 8 B. FAILURE OF POLICE REFORM ....................................................................................................... 9 C. GANGS ....................................................................................................................................... 12 D. DRUG TRAFFICKING AND INSTABILITY ......................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Impact Evaluation: Guatemala Country Report
    Impact Evaluation: Guatemala Country Report By Susan Berk-Seligson, Ph.D. Diana Orcés, Ph.D. Georgina Pizzolitto, M.A. Mitchell A. Seligson, Ph.D. Carole Wilson, Ph.D. The Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) Vanderbilt University This study was performed with support from the Program in Democracy and Governance of the United States Agency for International Development. The opinions expressed in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the point of view of the United States Agency for International Development. Revised December 2014 Impact Evaluation Guatemala ‐ Report Contents List of Figures ......................................................................................................................................................................... 5 List of Tables........................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 I. Overview ........................................................................................................................................................................... 9 II. Main Findings ................................................................................................................................................................. 9 III. Policy Recommendations
    [Show full text]
  • Military Intelligence), “Report on Mercenary Camps and Bases in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Florida” (Forwarded to Cuban President Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado)
    Digital Archive digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org International History Declassified January 12, 1961 Cuban G-2 (military intelligence), “Report on mercenary camps and bases in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Florida” (forwarded to Cuban President Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado) Citation: “Cuban G-2 (military intelligence), “Report on mercenary camps and bases in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Florida” (forwarded to Cuban President Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado),” January 12, 1961, History and Public Policy Program Digital Archive, Released by Cuban Government for 22-24 March 2001 conference (“Bay of Pigs: 40 Years After”) in Havana. Translated by National Security Archive. http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/115184 Summary: A military intelligence report from the Cuban G-2 service, outlining the miltiary capabilities of nearby Latin American countries, as well as the miltiary situations (uprisings) in many of those same countries. Credits: This document was made possible with support from the Leon Levy Foundation. Original Language: Spanish Contents: English Translation Scan of Original Document [Box] DIY. INT. G-2 MINFAR CENTRAL HEADQUARTERS APR 7 1961 RECEIVED NO. 2681 THIS REPORT IS EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE CHIEF OF REVOLUTION TO WHOM IT IS ADDRESSED. IT SHOULD BE RETURNED TO THE DEPARTMENT CHIEF INF G-2 MINFAR [MINISTRY OF THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES] CONFIDENTIAL From: Dr. Tec. 0. Inf. G-2 To : Commander Ramiro Valdes Menendez Department Chief. Inf. G-2 MINFAR Dpt. Inf. G-2 MINFAR January 12, 1961 “YEAR OF EDUCATION’’ Re : Report on mercenary camps and bases in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Florida In 1959, the “yanki” [Yankee, i.e., US] Department of State made the Dominican Republic its main mercenary training center.
    [Show full text]
  • Map 1. Guatemala Oil Infrastructure
    72817 REPUBLIC OF GUATEMALA Public Disclosure Authorized Preliminary Scoping Report of the Reconciliation of Mining and Hydrocarbon Sector Payments and Revenues Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized EITI-Guatemala Executive Secretariat September 11th 2011 Public Disclosure Authorized 1 FOREWORD This report has been prepared by Ms Hilda Harnack, Oil, as and Mining Unit consultant at the Sustainable Energy Department at the World Bank. The report does not compromise the Government official version, nor that of the sector companies’ or of the World Bank, , that financed it. The author thanks the following people for the information supplied for the preparation of this report and for their patience in answering her many questions: Ministry of Energy and Mines: Engineer Oscar Rosal, Coordinator, Mining Development Department Engineer Fernando Arevalo, Advisor, International Cooperation Area Engineer Mario Rene Godinez Ortiz, Coordinator, Economic Development Analysis, Hydrocarbon General Directorate Superintendency of Tax Administration: Ms. Delia Castillo Elias, head, Management Department, Collection and Management Intendance Banco de Guatemala: Mr. Byron Leopoldo Sagastume Hernandez, Director, Accounting Department Ministry of Public Finances: Mr. Donald Eduardo Cuevas Cerezo, Director, Fiscal Analysis and Evaluation Directorate Mr. Jorge Guillermo escobar Paz, Technical Advisor, Fiscal Analysis and Evaluation Directorate Mr. Alvaro Enrique Samayoa Arana, Principal Expert in the SIAF-SAG Project Implementation, Accounts Comptroller’s Office Mr Juan Manuel López, National Treasurer Companies: Ms. Regina Rivera de Cerezo, Corporate Relations Manager, Compañía Guatemalteca de Niquel Mr. Mario marroquin Rivera, Executive Director, Goldcorp Guatemala Mr. Fredy Misael Gudiel Samayoa, Legal Department Manager, Perenco Guatemala Limited Ms. Evelyn Vanessa Rodas Molina, Legal Assistant, Perenco Guatemala Limited The author is especially thankful to Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Religion in Guatemala
    LATIN AMERICAN SOCIO-RELIGIOUS STUDIES PROGRAM - PROGRAMA LATINOAMERICANO DE ESTUDIOS SOCIORRELIGIOSOS (PROLADES) ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGIOUS GROUPS IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: RELIGION IN GUATEMALA SECOND EDITION By Clifton L. Holland, Director of PROLADES Last revised on 30 March 2020 PROLADES Apartado 86-5000, Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica Telephone (506) 8820-7023; E-Mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.prolades.com/ © 2018-2020, Clifton L. Holland, PROLADES All rights reserved 2 CONTENTS Country Overview 5 Current Religious Situation 7 Historical Overview of Social, Religious and Political Development 9 The Roman Catholic Church 24 Independent Western Roman Catholic-derived groups 32 The Protestant Movement 33 Other Religions 103 Marginal Christian Groups 106 Eastern Orthodox Jurisdictions 108 Non-Christian Religions 113 Ecumenical-Interfaith Groups 120 Those with no religious affiliation or not specified 120 Sources 121 3 4 RELIGION IN GUATEMALA Country Overview The Republic of Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east, and adjacent to Mexico (west and north), Belize (northeast), Honduras (east), and El Salvador (southeast). The total population of Guatemala was estimated at 14.6 million in 2010, and 16.9 million in 2017. Most of Guatemala's population is rural, although urbanization is accelerating in the departmental capitals and in the national capital of Guatemala City. The Guatemala City metropolitan area of 2.7 million people (2015) includes Guatemala City plus seven surrounding municipalities: Amatitlán, Chinautla, Mixco, San Miguel Petapa, Santa Catarina Pinula, Villa Canales and Villa Nueva, which covers a land area of 184.6 miles (478 square km).
    [Show full text]
  • Transnational Organized Crime in Central America and the Caribbean a Threat Assessment Executive Summary
    Vienna International Centre, PO Box 500, 1400 Vienna, Austria Tel: +(43) (1) 26060-0, Fax: +(43) (1) 26060-5866, www.unodc.org TRANSNatioNAL ORGANIZED CRIME IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN A Threat Assessment Executive summary United Nations publication printed in Mexico September 2012 September 2012 Copyright © 2012, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copy- right holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. UNODC would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. Acknowledgements This study was conducted under the responsibility of the UNODC Offices in Mexico (ROMEX) and Panama (ROPAN), Division for Operations (DO), with research support of the UNODC Studies and Threat Analysis Section (STAS), Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs (DPA). Research Claudio Damián Rodríguez Santorum, Enrique Marín Pellecer, Felipe de la Torre, Jenna Dawson, Jorge Manuel Vargas Mediavilla, Juliana Erthal Rodrigues Dos Santos, Louise Bosetti, Bertha Nayelly Loya Marin, Simone Lucatello (consultant) and Ted Leggett (lead researcher). Translation, graphic design, mapping support, desktop publishing and printing Anja Korenblik, Deniz Mermerci, Jorge Manuel Vargas Mediavilla, Kristina Kuttnig and Suzanne Kunnen. Supervision Aldo Lale-Demoz (Director, DO) Amado Philip de Andrés (Representative, ROPAN) Antonio Mazzitelli (Representative, ROMEX) Thibault Le Pichon (Chief, STAS) The preparation of this report would not have been possible without the data and information reported by governments to UNODC and other international organizations. UNODC is particularly thankful to government and law enforcement officials met in the region while undertaking research.
    [Show full text]
  • Facing the State of Siege in Five Municipalities Government Decree Number 13-2020
    Facing the state of siege in five municipalities Government Decree number 13-2020 Organizations members of the International NGO’s Forum in Guatemala (FONGI), representing 31 organizations from the civil society from Germany, Belgium, Canada, Spain, United States, Netherlands, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as international federations, we express our deep concern for the state of siege declared by the government in the municipalities of Santa Catalina La Tinta and Panzós, from Alta Verapaz department, and El Estor, Morales and Livingston, from Izabal department; because –on one hand— it comes to rekindle the fear, terror and intimidation that the population has suffered for many years and also recently; and –on the other hand— it makes them more vulnerable facing this crisis caused by the pandemic. This, mainly for the high risk of infection and increase of the vulnerability of those communities, caused by the massive presence of the army and people outside the communities, which it is added to the free locomotion of people and heavy weight vehicles because of the mining activities that have increased illegal operations in that territory. On recent weeks, NGOs have seen –and we are witness— through the support work in humanitarian actions facing the pandemic, that the communities on those municipalities, peacefully and organized, are concentrated in make known and disclose to all the population, protection measures against COVID-19, in absence of the appropriate measures from the Government of Guatemala. We the INGOs on our side, have provided help through civil society organizations, consisting of food and hygiene materials to the most remote and abandoned communities.
    [Show full text]