It is similar to a 2019 bill shelved in April, after a Constitutional Court judgment that held that pardons for crimes against humanity and serious human rights violations are unconstitutional and contrary to human rights standards. This article has been translated from German. Crimes have occurred in parts of Guatemala City that were once considered quite safe, including Zones 10, 14, and 15. There have been widespread protests against a corrupt government and these are sometimes met with force. There are some scary government warnings, but Guatemala can be visited safely. El Salvador 2020 Crime & Safety Report Author (s) U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security Date Published 2020 Length 8 pages Publication Series About Gangs, Crime and Violence Description This report details El Salvador's crime and safety reports. A group of lawyers, seeking to dismantle the FECI, filed two complaints asking the Constitutional Court to declare it unconstitutional. The process lacks a consistent system for ranking candidates and is marred by arbitrary decisions and conflicts of interest. Crime Information for Tourists in Honduras Crime is widespread in Honduras and requires a high degree of caution by U.S. visitors and residents alike. A lot of travellers use them. At time of writing, the attempt had not succeeded. El Salvador used to have a high crime rate, but that is not the case anymore. KA 4UUjTW^ai7dGJ=*xb$>[ hZp>}"q1:pZmxl)'!kEd-h-9\23-Xg oX3|U.OP[{{p%k-j. Gabino . ( Amnesty International), Human rights defenders and excessive use of force, Guatemala: International organizations demand end to criminalization of justice officials and human rights defenders, 8 June, Guatemala: Amnesty International delivers 27,957 signatures demanding release of Bernardo Caal, 7 July, Guatemala: La pandemia no puede ser un pretexto para negar proteccin internacional, 30 March. On June 21, judges investigating high-profile cases asked the Attorney Generals Office to review and dismiss old and spurious complaints filed to harass them. When his father left for the US, Daniel, 16, felt abandoned and began to hang out with gang members in his area. Add data for Guatemala City. Guatemalas multitude of criminal groups range from violent street gangs to trafficking groups that serve as intermediaries for Colombian and Mexican cartels. On 18th October, 2021, Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso declared a state of emergency across the country to crack down on the consumption and trafficking of drugs, which had led to a significant spike in crime rates, particularly in major cities, as well . Canada urges travelers to exercise a significant degree of caution in Belize due to a high rate of violent crime throughout the country. Natural disasters, jungles, history, public transport, and violent crime all play a part in the safety of Guatemala today. In June, four judges from high-risk criminal courts who had been granted precautionary measures by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, reported to the Public Prosecutors Office that they were the targets of harassment and threats. Share this via Facebook So how do they do it?. Take some extra safety precautions and have a blast! It reported that 651 human rights defenders were subject to various types of attacks or harassment from January 2019 through the first four months of 2020. You also have to understand how the civil war still affects the county. x}Rn0+|L`$B*D8tQi?Cj8C4b eFLPZIKW3,l8#"QFvAViHGk&zHbNtQ57geiH GENEVA (27 July 2021) - UN rights experts* have expressed concerns over the criminalisation, violations of due process and health rights of an indigenous human rights defender in Guatemala. President Giammatteis government has shown open hostility toward the press and has limited access to information regarding confirmed cases and measures to address Covid-19. osac mexico 2020 crime and safety report osac mexico 2020 crime and safety report. A convoy of the national civil police prepare to raid a suspected safe house of the. Guatemalans continued to flee violence, poverty, inequality and climate change. For gang members, clicas are a surrogate family. "Here, there is still the sexist attitude that women are not capable of making decisions, for example," said Trujillo. Which language would you like to use this site in? Challenges persist in searching for and identifying the disappeared during the armed conflict, mainly Indigenous Mayans. Get fresh updates on organized crime from across the region delivered to your inbox. There are high crime rates in Guatemala that dont generally involve tourists. In April, Congress refused to swear in the re-elected Constitutional Court Judge Gloria Porras who had led anti-corruption cases, because of allegations of irregularities in her selection process. Let the adventure begin. Guatemala once again had the fourth highest rate of killings worldwide of land and environmental defenders per capita; 13 were killed in 2020, according to the NGO Global Witness. We then verify, write and edit, providing the tools to generate real impact. Women in Guatemala: The New Faces of Extortion? If you find a good driver, take their card and use them again. Guatemala faces challenges in protecting the rights of migrants; human rights defenders; women and girls; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. Despite this, by the end of the year Guatemala had yet to ratify the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean (Escaz Agreement), which includes provisions for the protection of environmental human rights defenders. But, as with most places, solo female travellers in Guatemala need to take some crucial extra precautions. (a+qW2%|XUL) R;;]b^%~h7+U,%|,uu\!(_ts[1:|lj'dS2GIUa~<8/ XWE3q| ^OdfkW&Y: } )p HU^/M~OV7OXt`GT~@^]W$S']JytkZB%)hTt+qZt6)F5cd') ~gxrL_ +}e5M His car was shot at least 17 times. You can also use tuk-tuks. These groups often have links to corrupt officials, ranging from local politicians to high-level security and government officials. Tourism is one of the main forces behind the Guatemalan economy. It is possible to travel to Guatemala as a solo woman safely. Taxis in Guatemala are generally safe but a little sketchy. Intimidation of judges and prosecutors and corruption in the justice system remain problems. This doesnt mean theyre 100% safe; you should still actively pay attention to your safety all the time but the risk is much lower here. Authorities have restricted access to information, including about vaccine purchases and other measures to address the Covid-19 pandemic. "We live here in a state that is incapable of protecting its women and where the political will to do so is lacking. Uber operates in Guatemala City and other major cities. But to be honest, youre probably going to have to be an adventurous family to make the trip. Safety Index: 35.75. Background They often work with groups from Mexico, Colombia and other Central American nations and they have the potential to expand and command other Central American nations' underworlds. %%+ -dEmbedAllFonts=true -dSubsetFonts=true -dCompressFonts=true -dNOPAUSE -dQUIET -dBATCH ? We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. The bloody eruption of Mexican-led cartels into Guatemala is the latest chapter in a vicious cycle of violence and institutional failure. Court hearings continued in the case of prisoner of conscience Bernardo Caal Xol, imprisoned since January 2018 for defending the rights of Qeqchi Maya communities affected by the construction of the OXEC hydroelectric dam project.2 In August, the Supreme Court rejected a cassation appeal for his release presented by his lawyers. For a long time, violence was the norm in Guatemala. Guatemala had the lowest percentage of people fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in Latin America, at just 25.7%, amid corruption allegations in connection with the purchase of vaccines and the handling of the pandemic. The CICIG worked with the Attorney Generals Office, the police, and other government agencies to investigate, prosecute, and dismantle criminal organizations operating in Guatemala. If you use our guide, do your own research, and practise common sense, you will have a safe trip to Guatemala. Guatemala is dealing with the rapid expansion of coca leaf plantations, but there is little evidence the country is becoming a cocaine producer. The border with Mexico is dangerous due to drug and alien smuggling this includes the Laguna del Tigre National Park and Sierra de Lacandn National Park, both of which are in the northwest corner of Petn. At least three appeals were subsequently filed before the Constitutional Court in relation to elements of the law that could allow for serious violations of the rights to freedom of expression and association, including vaguely worded clauses that could lead to NGOs being shut down or targeted in other ways. For many Guatemalan women, mere survival has become a challenge. In recent years, investigations by the United Nations-backed International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG)terminated in 2018and the Attorney Generals Office have exposed corruption schemes in all three branches of government. OSAC provides the latest safety- and security-related information, public announcements, travel advisories, terrorist group profiles, country crime and safety reports, and more to its constituency of more than 4,600 U.S. companies and organizations with overseas interests. Avoid these things while travelling in Guatemala: Dont resist when being robbed Dont walk around at night outside tourist areas(only use public transport if you have to and only use a reputable company) Avoid using ATMs that arent inside banks or supermarkets Dont walk down empty streets or alleys. AfriForum has 160 neighbourhood watch structures nationwide and offers safety training to farmers. Tourist areas are generally a sign that the area is safe. Geography has placed the country - midway between Colombia and the U.S. - at one of the world's busiest intersections for illegal drugs. osac mexico 2020 crime and safety report 27 Feb. osac mexico 2020 crime and safety report. The Director of DSS serves as the council co-chair. The recent murder of an Iranian girl by her own father has highlighted women's inequality and the country's antiquated legal system. In October, she also transferred the head of the Special Prosecutors Office on Human Rights, who had helped bring the former military president Efran Ros Montt to justice. Inside Guatemala City, you have old red buses (which we dont recommend) and newer TransMetro/TransUrbano ones. But in this extremely Catholic country, even women who have been the victims of rape are forbidden to have an abortion. The mandate of the Office in Guatemala covers promotion and protection of human rights, advice and technical assistance to the Government, other state institutions and civil society, and monitoring of and reporting on the human rights situation in the country. Jurors in Alex Murdaugh's murder trial in the shooting deaths of his wife and son will get to visit the South Carolina home where the killings took place before they begin deliberating, the judge ruled Monday. . As world leaders met for the United Nations General Assembly, Latin American presidents expressed various concerns about organized crime. 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