Current safety situation in Guatemala?

[lahuasteca]

I should know the answer to this better than anyone - I have over thirty years of

ethnographic photography in Guatemala, my wife is from Antigua, and I know my way

around. But things seemed to have changed dramatically over the past two years. Here's

the latest State Dept. crimes against foreigners listing:

 

 

http://guatemala.usembassy.gov/recent_incidents.html

 

There is much more in the Guatemala City newspaper - La Prensa Libre. The crime against

foreigners and others seems to be related to mara youth gangs which have spread out of

Guatemala City into the rest of the country.

 

My question is all this over hype? My usual travel is two Nikon bodies and 4-5 lenses. My

next trip is scheduled July 19-26 and it is already paid for. This time I'll go with one

point and shoot - a Sony 828 (I know it's got its issues, but if I get stopped and they take

it, well so be it).

 

Guatemalan photographers with whom I've communicated have told me to stay out of the

small pueblos (where I get the best shots), things aren't the same. The trip will be limited

to Antigua (where I've read in La Prensa Libre that things aren't as safe as in the past) and

Atitlan.

 

The Lonely Planet Thorn Tree isn't much of a help - the attitude of many there is all this is

just doomsday whining crybabies.

 

Anyone with any first hand info. I'd like to hear it. I hope I am wrong and everything is

an exaggeration of isolated incidents.

[phoneguy]

I don't know how they could exagerate "armed gunmen take over vehicle, and shoot driver & passenger".

 

It seems to be an average of 3 to 7 incedents per month (reported). Per Capita, I don't know if that's good or bad? Based on the crimes listed, I'd be leary about carrying anything other than a point and shoot too. As with travel to any foriegn country, they say not to venture out of the tourist areas. I'd say just be aware of your surroundings...As always.

 

Mike

[aeaster]

Sounds just like Washington DC.

[craig_gillette]

I would expect that the best info would be coming from your local contacts.

 

Government, tourism and local press sources may be dealing with a variety of other influences when offering assessments of safety. A foreign office/state department may be too remote and simply approaching from a broad bureacratic framework - while there may be some political heat for being too cautious, there is also heat when no cautions are in place and something foreseeable happens. Local press is like local press everywhere, grinding axes and selling ad space, so who knows if they are in the pockets of people who want to drive an agenda making things look bad, or conversely, trying to keep the business and tourism money flowing?

[jeffpolaski]

I've got an old, old rule: don't go into a place you may have to shoot your way out of. Times change; welcome to the 21st Century.

[sbilly]

I live here in Guatemala, the situation is quite ulgy nowadays, but if you are cautious

you can get around. Just be carefull just like in any other place.

[bostjanfrelih]

I'm planning to visit a Peten state in Ferbuary. I'm specially interesten on Tikal. What is the situation in this area?

 

Thanx for the answers.

[vicky_babaer]

<p>I just came from Guatemala, this was an organize Caravan trip. One of our friends was robbed (money, credit card and passport) . It is happened on the market.<br>

The rest of the trip was fine, but we always stayed with a group (39 people).<br>

From Guatemala City to Honduras we had a police car with three men guarding us to and from Honduras. This made us think that it is not so safe there.</p>