URGENT: Safety in Guatemala- Should I cancel trip?

Hi.

We bought our plane tickets to Guatemala, and paid for our hotels.

We knew Guatemala was dangerous, and were planning to just be there a week, and stick to the major tourist sights of Antigua, Lake Atitlan, and Tikal. We knew Guatemala was dangerous, and to be extra safe, we were only going to stay in the best hotels. Panza Verde in Antigua agreed to pick us up at the airport. We were going to have a special escort service (USA diplomats use them) to take us to the lake, and we were going to fly to Tikal and stay at the Camino Real Tikal. We were not going to do any hiking, or partying at night, or do anything at night but stay in our hotel.

But we suddenly find ourselves in a panic as to whether we should go.

Every search of the internet reveals more and more horror stories and freightening statistics. The last straw was the post I read yesterday on this very website- Thorn Tree- about the tourist van that was kidnapped, where the female tourists were raped and the men assaulted and robbed. According to the post, there were suspicions that police and driver were involved in the crime. And this happened just a few months ago, in September 2014. It appears to be a completely lawless country.

I know sh-t happens anywhere, but a lot of it happens in Guatemala.

For years I've dreamed of traveling to Guatemala. I've backpacked throughout Mexico, SouthEast Asia, Europe, etc. But I'm honestly scared. Terrified. But cancelling the trip will cost me hundreds of dollars. I'm sick over this.

Please advise. If I am going to cancel trip must do it sooner rather than later. (tomorrow).

Thank you.
2loca.

Hi,

Don't panic!

There's a school shooting every months or so in the USA, but kids not stopped going to school and are not scared to go there.

Of course you can read many true horror stories about Guatemala, but there are about 1 million visitors a year. How many of them get killed, kidnapped or raped? 10? How many get robbed? 10 thousand 100 thousand? That seems like a lot but it still means that 90% of the tourists have no problem whatsover.

• to be extra safe, we were only going to stay in the best hotels.

If you're scared don't go. It's not a holiday when you're constantly scared, although you could think about this before booking the trip.

I think you are over reacting. 98% of tourist visit Guatemala and have no issues, period. You don't have to stay at expensive places, in fact, you can stay anywhere you budget allows, from hostels to Inns, small Posadas or where ever the taxi drivers suggest in your budget.

What are you worried about? Every country in Central America has crime issues, but they rarely effect a tourist. Chicago has a crazy murder rate, highest in US, would you not visit Chicago? Safety is all relative.

There are few if any reports of travelers having issues on this forum, or Trip Advisor, other than random theft/muggings that happen everywhere...

Fake.

We knew Guatemala was dangerous,

Lies.

Folks, don't be provoked. This is someone without much better to do on a Friday night. Deplorable, really.

Yeah, I didn't realise at first sight that this is a troll pulling our legs.

We were going to have a special escort service (USA diplomats use them)

Mega LOL

We were going to have a special escort service (USA diplomats use them) to take us to the lake, and we were going to fly to Tikal and stay at the Camino Real Tikal. We were not going to do any hiking, or partying at night, or do anything at night but stay in our hotel.

Very wise, that's how I spend my holiday's, hiding in a hotel. Consider body armor and a helmet.

Don't cancel the trip, one thing you can do to reduce risk. That is to refrain from travel at night. During the day is less hazard.

Actually, Costa Rica has crime issues involving tourist, more than Guatemala, if you want worry..but I guess the million a year tourist to Guatemala all survived just fine, and the 2 million a year that visited Costa Rica...

Some bad advice here... special escort services should only be used at night. The trip should definitely be canceled.

Even Eddy hasn't been around since 2002 when the OP joined- guess they must have woken from a Troll snooze...

it is easier just not to feed the trolls.

http://www.incomediary.com/create-a-profitable-blog
My blog I'm going to write sensationalist travel stories. They don't necessarily have to be completely true. Nobody has done that before.

Having been going to Guatemala since l991 and always come back alive. Photos on wolf calls ,com. Not that bad is you use common sense or is this post a troll?

Definitely go back to Uganda where you'll be safe!

Thank you for your responses.
I'm no troll. Just someone with a bad case of the jitters after reading very disturbing posts.

I think I needed the reassurance. It helped to hear from others.

I will not be cancelling the trip.

Sincerely,
2Loca

This post has been removed because it may not have met our community guidelines.

Make sure you write a brief report here about your good or bad experiences once you'll be back!

Why do you get the jitters from a nice place like Guatemala? You need to save the jitters for some awful place like somewhere in USA. I live in the third most dangerous city in USA and after that Guatemala is a walk in the park. Have travel insurance and use common sense. You can travel around Guat with ease and no need of armed transport. Do not wear expensive things on necks,ears, wrists or arms. Do not carry purses. Carry money secured under clothing. Money for the day in front pocket under crumpled tissue.. Do not ever use cell phones in public. Do not flash electronics.. Learn a few words in Spanish and have a nice visit. You might want to consider a Caravan tour that does have armed guards escorting their buses.

I live in the third most dangerous city in USA and after that Guatemala is a walk in the park.

Which city is that?

And what are the 1st and 2nd?

I always heard it's only the ghettoes which are dangerous, not?

Why was my post at #15 removed?....all I said was "if you are genuine do you really stand by your comment that you are going to use a special diplomatic protection service to get you to the lake??"...what does that question breach in the guidelines??

Oh now I get it....I said "escort service"...but the OP called it an escort service. Its a service that escorts people?

This is indeed a strange case... a user created over 12 years ago with an apparently legitimate posting history posting a load of nonsense and calling Guatemala a "completely lawless country."

If genuine, OP, you are extremely misinformed – or just bad at gathering info – and need to go back to the drawing board. Saying "we knew Guatemala was dangerous" makes it seem like you don't know anything at all. Yes, there have been some isolated incidents out of over 3 million tourists per year, but come on... someone from a war-torn place like Uganda – home of one of the most infamous tourist massacres in recent memory – asking these ridiculous questions? It just sounds insincere. If you had really done research, you'd have found that 99% of posts say that tourists have no problem in the country, trip reports stating that people felt safe and had a great time, etc... instead of obsessing over one or two very unusual reports of problems.

It would be truly foolish to stay in your hotel at night when you're in safe, vibrant atmosphere like this, but everyone has different tastes. If you're really serious about Guatemala, do some REAL research and enjoy yourself... if you're not able to get a grip, then I do agree that cancellation would be the best choice.

....it seems I can't refer to the diplomatic protection service by the 'e' word AS USED by the OP in his original post. Blimey...I would have thought that was more of a problem on the Thai branch- but REALLY mods??!

Somebody might need to Escort you to the front of the thread...

My post #20 has now been allowed, but not #15....sheeesh...

I sincerely apologize if I offended by my use of the phrase "lawless country."

What I meant to say-- is that I have become very stressed about traveling to Guatemala because the numerous posts I have been reading that state that the police work in cohots with the criminals and that over 90% of murders are not prosecuted and that when they are, the criminals can buy themselves off because the judicial system is so corrupt. I interpret such a situation as "lawless."

But countless of people have told me that Guatemala is magical. And I believe them!!! I want to go! But the issue of crime keeps rearing its ugly head. And I'm scared.

The reason I am so torn is because I do believe that the country Guatemal and its people are beautiful. I finally put my fears aside and booked the trip, but the fears return the more research I do on the internet. I turned to this board for reassurance- not to offend.

Again, thank you to all who responded in good faith.

...and are you still going to use a special er...esc....er...protection service to get you to the lake??

the numerous posts I have been reading that state that the police work in cohots with the criminals

Where are you reading these "posts?" Links? Out of 1000's of posts on Guate, the vast, vast majority point out how safe the country is, and how safe people feel, and there are just a tiny handful of people who experienced security problems.

but the fears return the more research I do on the internet

Research: you're doing it wrong.

Poster- In Central America, the police rarely solve murders, or anything else. If you can't handle it, then don't go. The odds of you, or anyone you know, being the victim of violence is as slim you winning the lottery...

I live in New Haven , Connecticut . The FBI says it is the third most dangerous city.in the USa. No you can get robbed everywhere here. I often see cell phones get snatched from unwary Yale Students. This is right in center of the city. in the day time. Here no one takes out a cell phone in public or allows it to ring where others might hear it tipping off someone who wants to steal it and go a couple of blocks to sell it. The police do not walk a down town beat.. you are the mercy of demanding beggars if you are on the streets at lunch time. again the police do nothing about this. Where I work there is a van service to take employees to where they are parked to make sure that they get to cars safely. Your car can be broken into where you left it parked. I bring my lunch so I never have to leave the building at all during the work day.. I get let off and picked up. My house has been robbed three times over the years. . I wass held up at gun point some years back leaving my office a few blocks from my home. It is so much fun to have a 45 semi automatic stuck against your forehead. . I used the insurance money for a trip to Mexico from that incident.

Unwary Yale student.
http://tinyurl.com/ol6yqhn

Unwary Yale student.
http://tinyurl.com/ol6yqhn

or poster #29 lol

Guatemala is NOT dangerous., first of all. I took buses all overwith no problems.

This post has been removed by its author.

thats' a good point 29. the quality of law enforcement and judicial process is often overrated in developed countries. we tend to look down on the others with disdain and wonder how is it they cant get their act together. perhaps what is needed is more missionaries and proselytizers.

Well I only go by what is printed in our local paper. The paper says that the FBI says we are number three. We have lots of murders here plus a lot of street assaults and shootings but those are mostly gang related. I have lived here for years and only had a gun shoved in my face once.

This post has been removed because it may not have met our community guidelines.

This post has been removed because it may not have met our community guidelines.

This post has been removed because it may not have met our community guidelines.

good points! Fearful people shouldnt travel. They die a 1000 deaths everyday & need tostayhome.

Urgent; is it safe to travel from LAX to union station at 1 am?
the deleted post used language similar to the orignal post.
mods do not read these threads apparently, try to be funny and end up---

alienated

Also found in: Legal, Wikipedia.
al·ien·ate
(āl′yə-nāt′, ā′lē-ə-)
tr.v. al·ien·at·ed, al·ien·at·ing, al·ien·ates
1. To cause to become unfriendly or hostile; estrange: alienate a friend; alienate potential supporters by taking extreme positions.
2. To cause to become withdrawn or unresponsive; isolate or dissociate emotionally: The numbing labor tended to alienate workers.
3. To cause to be transferred; turn away: "He succeeded ... in alienating the affections of my only ward" (Oscar Wilde).
4. Law To transfer (property or a right) to the ownership of another, especially by an act of the owner rather than by inheritance.

Well I only go by what is printed in our local paper. The paper says that the FBI says we are number three. We have lots of murders here plus a lot of street assaults and shootings but those are mostly gang related. I have lived here for years and only had a gun shoved in my face once.

The link which I took down because it didn't work, was from Yahoo with the latest FBI top 10 list and New Haven wasn't on it, better tell your local paper to check for updates before they print misinformation.

I just want to know the name of the "e" service that "USA diplomats" use. Maybe the Lewis and Clark Express? :)

nervous nellies stay home.

I was there last week for a month. i thought it was fine. you can read about it below if your intrested

http://bondrj.tripod.com/blog/index.blog?from=20150210

https://www.internationalsos.com/en/travel-security-management.htm
Then, when necessary, we can dedicate virtual and on-the-ground resources to support the incident response in adherence with your operations protocol.
Shoot first...ask questions later.
Vacations with confidence is our motto.

I live south of Eugene OR and got pulled over at gun point by a cop who wrote the speeding ticket for 84MPH I kept trying to tell him cruise control was locked in at 70 so I was slightly speeding, but he was tweaking so not interested. Court Judge determined my husband and I are both liars and the cop is truthful 1st ticket in over 30 years. Another cop from Eugene OR was fired after more than 380 complaints for rape or sexual assault. Fired not charged. So if you want to look at lawless and corrupt I thing the USSA gets high marks. Getting away with murder in the USA no problem f you have the cash otherwise read up on the corruption of the FBI forensic lab and all the innocent people sitting in jail based on false "science". If I were charged with anything I don't think I would want to stick around for trial as it is so corrupt. A women was raped in Eugene in a park last week, a woman starved her infant to death forgot to feed it and a young man killed his infant and then himself. Guatemala is dangerous?

My husband and I have bused and driven all over the country we were out in non tourist areas where people were looking at me and I finally decided I was a white woman kind of a rare thing in Rabbinal. A smile and a wave always did the trick. Driving the back roads we were stopped by road construction and a car load of young men hung with us so I could practice speaking Spanish. They told us about the area, things to see and waited for us to make it through the fresh cut dirt on the road in case we needed them to help push our car. I love the Guatemalan people and have never felt afraid.

The wonderful people will give you gifts of what they have to share. A local cuisine of beef, potato and chili wrapped in banana leaves, a local pot leaf cream for my swollen knee. They are truly amazing. Funny thing new friends always warn us, don't tell people where you are going, be careful etc. A young man we were speaking with a friend of friends was unknown to the people of the little town we were staying in and they warned us they did not know him, to be careful. Bad things happen everywhere, I'd rather die out exploring than live to 120 hiding at home. I wish I were there now, but will be returning to Guatemala mid April.

Good perspective...thanks.

Bevcause of the civil war and the tons of weapons left by the army and guerillas everywhere in the country, Guatemala is a dangerous country but those who suffer from this situation are the local people not the tourists.
Private and public guards protect the tourists (and not the loclas) all around the country.

#48, I believe the fiction branch is that way ----->

The guns in no way create a safety issue. I was in El Tejar and our hotel had a range for target practice. As in Oregon states with lots of guns and a Right to open carry as well as "shall issue" concealed weapons laws, the gun crime rate is low. Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and other gun ban type places have high rates of crime committed with and without guns. Criminals prefer unarmed victims. Guatemala City has gun laws as well. I have spent very little time there. There has never been one instance where a gun jumped up and injured anyone without human assistance. Bad people are a problem when armed with a club or knife as well, sheesh a car even.

Criminals prefer unarmed victims.

Unfortunately this makes foreigners, tourists prime targets because they don't(can't) carry weapons.

Unfortunately this makes foreigners, tourists prime targets

False, but as in Guatemala, there is no law on here about making **** up.

Foreigners and tourists, far from being "prime targets," are actually very infrequently targeted (largely because criminals know that this is a great way of getting into deep Pacaya).

There has never been one instance where a gun jumped up and injured anyone without human assistance.

That's right, not without human assistance, but with an ape's assistance it happened: http://youtu.be/GhxqIITtTtU

An ape defeating the monkeys! :-)

Actually tourists can carry and there is a way to bring them on the plane. You gotta tell people and locked box etc. I never have have always been unarmed in Guate and never felt unsafe. I admit I prefer to be armed. It is not easy to stop a strong young nutjob intent on harming others without one. I hope to live in Guate if I can get out of all the work I have to deal with here in the USSA. I would never consider living in a place that did not respect a right to self defense. Guate seems to be a lot more "free" then what our Republic has devolved into, sadly.

Guatemala is fine, just exercise a bit of common sense.

We spent over a month there and never experienced, or witnessed anything remotely concerning.

However if you go there clutching so many fears, you'll have no chance of enjoying it and therefore have little point in even going...

You gotta tell people

Yeah, you've got to do more than that... it's possible for tourists to bring firearms in by going through a procedure with the embassy, but fortunately nobody really does that (it's a practice reserved for security forces, etc.). Walking around as a tourist with a firearm is ill-advised to say the least.

Actually tourists can carry and there is a way to bring them on the plane. You gotta tell people and locked box etc.

I'm somewhat surprised to hear that. I always thought it takes much more than just "you gotta tell people" to carry a gun abroad, but I take your word for it since I never owned a gun(living in safe country with ridiculous laws which until a few years ago effectively banned(!) self defence).

gotta tell people means paperwork

tdlopez: "There has never been one instance where a gun jumped up and injured anyone without human assistance"..

How do you reconcile that with all the deaths and injuries of children in the US who have found and played with their parents guns?..i.e.the innocents? (as opposed to the ones who take their parents guns and shoot up their school).. The "guns don't hurt people, people do" is such a trite old naive argument. Children don't shoot themselves by accident in the UK because their parents don't have guns.

Armed tourists, what a novel idea. Let's just arm everyone and let God sort them out.
http://tinyurl.com/pch95hy

How do you reconcile that with all the deaths and injuries of children in the US who have found and played with their parents guns?.

Or their chainsaws and kitchen knifes...

:-( http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/boy-2-accidentally-shoots-kills-mom-idaho-walmart-n277071

"Responsible gun owner" Yeah right! Clueless idiot perhaps.

The reason that point doesn't work is because no bereaved Mom has ever said "Oh well, if little Jonny hadn't shot himself with the 9mm in our bedside drawer he probably would have got himself with the potato knife in the kitchen, so lets move on". You do realize how vacuous your position is surely?

From the American Pediatrics survey.

0 to 1 year:
Developmental and genetic conditions that were present at birth
Conditions due to premature birth (short gestation)
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

1 to 4 years:
Accidents
Developmental and genetic conditions that were present at birth
Homicide

5 to 9 years:
Accidents
Cancer
Developmental and genetic conditions that were present at birth

Most the people that I know that have had the tragedy of a losing a child, was car accident, drowning in pool, disease of some sort...they are gun owners too..I am from the midwest..hunting and gun ownership is very high.

What?....how can you suggest that because the majority of child deaths are not caused by guns that those that are somehow don't matter? Collateral damage?
Guns kill innocents. Accept it...or, and here's a thought, get rid of the guns.
Its 2015. Its not Hollywood. Its not the Wild West. Grow up and get rid of the guns.
(And please don't quote your Constitution- if the Constitution read "All first-born children must be sacrificed to the Sun God" you wouldn't do it. Why?....because its 2015!!)

Citizens owning guns helps keep the government somewhat honest, only the lazy want to put their welfare totally in the hands of a nanny state!

In the U.S. the bad guys have guns, lots of guns. They will always have guns, because access to guns is so easy. Rarely can the police protect someone or their property from a bad guy with a gun. To the many farmers and ranchers in this country guns are tools. To protect their families, pets, livestock and crops from dangerous and destructive animals. And, of course, from bad guys with guns. Bad guys with guns don't much mess around with ranchers, because they know those ranchers have guns and will shoot.

Buen viaje!

In the U.S. the bad guys have guns, lots of guns. They will always have guns, because access to guns is so easy. Rarely can the police protect someone or their property from a bad guy with a gun. To the many farmers and ranchers in this country guns are tools. To protect their families, pets, livestock and crops from dangerous and destructive animals. And, of course, from bad guys with guns. Bad guys with guns don't much mess around with ranchers, because they know those ranchers have guns and will shoot.

Buen viaje!

And that's the truth.

But a tourist bringing their gun to Guatemala is a foolish idea.

I agree with taking a gun to Guatemala or anywhere for that matter is plain dumb. As a gun owner, both shotguns for hunting and handguns for target and protection of my home, I would never take a gun out of the safe, leave it loaded, or point it at a human being, unless my life was in grave danger. Living in Chicago, which has a terrible gun issue with gangbangers, more and more business owners in the more dicey hoods are keeping guns in the stores. Keep in mind as a gun owner, you need to carry millions of dollars in liability insurance, as you will be sued for shooting someone, so they can get their hospital care paid for...

Guns are part of the culture in the US, taking them away would be like asking all Americans to drive electric vehicles...

I agree with taking a gun to Guatemala or anywhere for that matter is plain dumb. Keep in mind as a gun owner, you need to carry millions of dollars in liability insurance, as you will be sued for shooting someone, so they can get their hospital care paid for...

Might be better using some of that insurance premium at the range to ensure a hospital stay is not needed for the dude on the receiving end.

Guns are part of the culture in the US, taking them away would be like asking all Americans to drive electric vehicles...

LOL

Cultures that cannot bravely move forward are doomed...

Armed Tourists From the United States on the Ground in Guatemala.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/11089074

Forward? You mean back to gun control? Back to tyranny where the gov gives you permission to do anything? Wow please leave Guate free and don't start trying to Californicate that country. Oregon has been almost Californicated to death. Do a bit of research on the number of lives guns saves. The Clackamas mall shooting they had an (Ignoble) sign there no guns, so the nut job came shooting and loaded for bear. A CCR holder was aiming at him trying to get a good shot so he was sure he would not hit anyone besides the shooter. the shooter saw him and shot himself. A school shooting happened a few weeks ago a nut job came in loaded to hunt kids and an armed teacher saw him in the hallway and he was the only one injured. That happens a LOT only in "gun free" zones are there sitting ducks and large numbers of dead. In many cases the nut keeps killing until he tires of it and shoots himself. Read "Death by Gun Control". Misguided busybody do gooders are responsible for more deaths than maybe anyone else, except GOVERNMENTS. RJ Rummels "Death by Government" that is why Guate won't sit still to be disarmed again.

I have not brought a gun into Guate, there is paperwork basically people have to be notified and you have to prove your qualification with a weapon, not a problem for me. I may not be the best shot on this forum, but I would bet I would be up there toward the top. Oregon I have the God given Right to bear arms and no one can take a Right that is what unalienable means. The Feds job was to SECURE OUR RIGHTS that is why we created this government. All backwards now and lots of ignorant people trying to move forward.

Guate is a free country not a Fascist Dictatorship like the USSA scares me all the screaming libs trying to bring in the Police State. Forward, I have to guess you do not know the origin of that slogan.

Those are not tourist they are paid mercenaries from the Fascist Dictatorship sent down by the Dictator. Sadly it was the USSA under JFK who authorized intervention in the 60's. More busybody do gooders. Save people from evil plants? Lets see no one ever died from Marijuana 179 people die in the USSA on average every year from Tylenol. Eleven people total died from Ephedra (mormon tea) which is banned? Thanks for making my case for me Paul!

Enough. This isn't the place for discussion social issues pertaining to the United States. Time to move on.

Yes, thank you! Beyond frightening...

trinnilopez
It was all summed up here back in 63.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPtJtpTuMdI

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