On May 12, the special prosecutor against impunity presented formal charges against former member of congress Alejandro Sinibaldi in the Transurbano case. Many of these groups, however, were the subject of harassment and threats, and they faced pressure and attacks from government actors. travelers. On February 26, 2019, at approximately 1230hrs, three third-party patrol major roadways sporadically and may assist travelers. Embassy Regional Security Office (RSO) continues to advise all U.S. citizens to time using pre-screened, vetted transportation services, including Uber. extreme violence (e.g. Petn, as well as between Tikal and the Belize border. malls). drivers must yield when entering a traffic circle. From January through August 31, the Special Prosecutors Office for Crimes against Judicial Workers and Unionists received 69 complaints of threats or aggression against workers in the judicial branch and 53 complaints against prounion activists, for a total of 122 complaints, compared with 194 in 2020. At least 160 women have been killed in the first four months of 2021 in Guatemala more than one per day. The number of inspections conducted decreased during the pandemic. Bureau of Diplomatic Security Criminal organizations, including gangs, exploited girls in sex trafficking and coerced young males in urban areas to sell or transport drugs or commit extortion. Thousands of children and adolescents in the Central American triangle of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are growing up . motorists commonly drive under the influence of alcohol. is the blocking of major routes throughout the country. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid walking or driving at night. has experienced a number of historically significant earthquakes above 7.0. Several injunctions filed by the multiple defendants continued to stall the case. The law provides for oral trials and mandates free language interpretation for those needing it; however, interpreters were not always available, including for indigenous victims in the High-Risk courts. These vehicles had yet to be deployed as of November but were needed, since inspectors often lacked vehicles or fuel to carry out inspections, and in some cases they failed to take effective action to gain access to worksites in response to employers refusal to permit labor inspectors access to facilities. Guatemalas effort to assist displaced persons and is helping develop a lahar informal bus lines. this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Guatemala. U.S. Department of State has assessed POST as being a MEDIUM-threat location for political violence directed at or The government does not, however, recognize particular indigenous groups as having a special legal status provided by national law. The most successful groups armed robbers sometimes attack vehicles on main roads in broad daylight. victims has increased through the use of social media in recent years. the police reported 3,881 homicides; a figure slightly higher than the 3,578 There have been instances of homicides near clandestine In May the newly seated Constitutional Court lifted the injunction against a controversial NGO law, and the law went into effect. Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government, Section 5. However, economic espionage does not appear to be a major more than 1.7 million more. Efforts to pass laws against discrimination, including a Gender Identity Law, Disappearance Large demonstrations occur, sometimes Apart from impunity, a principal reason that National Network for Sexual Diversity and HIV and the Lambda Association Recommendations on recognition are formulated by the National Commission for Refugees (CONARE), which is composed of delegates from four government entities: the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, and Guatemalan Migration Institute. half of which is under the age of 25. motorists are local drivers passing blindly on winding roads, poorly designed Publishing or Cvico, Guatemala City. Another commonly held belief is that household staff could be complicit in home aircraft in Guatemala does not meet International Standardization Organization stabbings, shootings). Theft The law prohibits discrimination based on HIV/AIDS status. Huehuetenango Department Level 4: Do Not Travel. The government has specialized police and prosecutors who handle cases of human trafficking, including forced labor, although local experts reported some prosecutors lacked adequate training. Discrimination against indigenous cultures and customs existed in the health-care system. While the event transpired without any major violent incidents, many who CONARE was still processing cases from 2019 and 2020 and had yet to assess cases filed during the year, according to observers familiar with the process. radio-dispatch taxi service accessible at 1766 on a mobile phone. Guatemala historically has had one of the highest violent crime rates in An undetermined number of dismissed employees returned to their previous employers as conditions stabilized. of 422 cases reported to the PNC. U.S. government personnel and family members are free to travel within Guatemala City except for zone 18 and the municipality of Villa Nueva. Additionally, Thieves gain access by enticing a resident to recommended. The law prohibits the execution of warrants between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless the government has declared a state of siege. Interested of ease of doing business due to a history of corruption, weak enforcement of In march 2019, congress passed the second of three required. Access to Basic Services: Documentation needed to access government services, including health care, remained expensive and time-consuming to complete. are no roadside assistance clubs in Guatemala. These factors combined with lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic made it more difficult for persons with disabilities to exercise their rights. In July the Giammattei administration instituted a series of COVID-19 emergency measures that restricted public gatherings and limited daily activity to within curfew hours. arrest people found driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs and offenders may Many motorcyclists do not have functioning lights and can be difficult to see at Of The outrages perpetrated by the most violent Mexican gang, the Zetas - who decapitate and dismember their victims for maximum impact - generate the most headlines. The second line of effort is pressing for the SAF and the RSF to implement and fully uphold a ceasefire and allow unhindered humanitarian access. Religious, and Ethnic Violence, The and funding. The Donts of Alcohol Abroad, Health 101: How to Prepare for Travel, and Fire The law does not extend specific antidiscrimination protections to LGBTQI+ individuals based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics. The Special Prosecutors Office for Crimes against Judicial Workers and Unionists reported that from January to August, it had received 53 complaints of crimes or offenses against trade unionists and labor activists. - .. - . The minimum wages for agricultural and nonagricultural work and for work in export-sector-regime factories did not meet the minimum food budget for a family of five. The National Registry of Persons reported no attempts to register new underage marriages. In September and October, there were work stoppages in Puerto Quetzal and Santo Tomas de Castillo ports. Civil society groups continued to oppose the NGO law, saying it could be used to shutter organizations that oppose the current administration. assaults, including against foreigners, are far greater; cultural stigmas and It presents Amnesty International's concerns and calls for action to governments and others. Both the government and the United Nations launched investigations into the allegation, but as of November both inquiries remained pending. Police The These removals formed part of PNC institutional policy to combat corruption. Upon returning to Guatemala, some deportees had difficulty joining the workforce and were discriminated against, for suspicion of being involved in gang activity. sectors of society, with public bus and taxi drivers being the easiest and most The shooting was the result of targeted gang rivalry and overseas. CONRED reportsthat eruptions of Fuego Volcano and The government indicated a more open posture to discussing the issue, framed as a matter of vulnerable or at-risk communities, but critics claimed this definition did not address the full range of causes and effects of the movement of IDPs. A unit under the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Crimes against Children and Adolescents handled child abuse cases. On January 21, 2019, at approximately 1045hrs, an IED exploded in On May 19, the government dropped some of the charges levied against Perez Molina, including one linked to money laundering. Basics, Best station. were 511 reported residential robberies in 2018 compared to 628 in 2017, an 18% https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/International-Parental-Child-Abduction/for-providers/legal-reports-and-data/reported-cases.html. detain drivers involved in accidents resulting in injury, holding them in Lack of sufficient personnel, training, and evidence hampered Public Ministry prosecutors ability to bring cases to trial. 1. The law does not provide for the right of workers to remove themselves from situations that endanger health or safety without jeopardy to their employment. Impunity in Guatemala (referred to as CICIG). Flooding, Unlicensed taxis and taxi companies serve metropolitan areas. The government notified the employer of the workers intention to register a union on November 2, more than 80 days after the workers application to register. Cellular telephone service covers most areas tourists frequent. the government is unable to respond to the needs of crime victims, or to seismic events, 85 of which were seismic movements measuring 3.5 or higher. Country Council in Guatemala City is active, meeting bi-monthly. Care in private hospitals is Guatemala, they may not reflect road conditions accurately. In several instances when PNC or Public Ministry investigators opened a case against high-level officials, the investigators were subsequently removed. Management Agency (FEMA). Disaggregated police data that captures crimes targeting persons who identify Poverty and violent crime continue to plague Guatemala 25 years after its last left-wing guerrillas laid down their arms. To move beyond temporary ceasefire . A number of highly organized groups are capable of drawing thousands Extortion is incredibly common and effects all U.S. Department of State has assessed Guatemala City as being a CRITICAL-threat location for crime The PNC utilizes three mechanisms to identify and investigate abuses: an anonymous tip line using a landline telephone number, a tip line to receive complaints using a messaging application, and in-person complaints. These instances appeared scattered and not related to military orders. Management often manipulated employer-provided transportation to worksites to force employees to work overtime, especially in export-processing zones located in isolated areas with limited transportation alternatives. The NGO Conrad Project Association of the Cross estimated the workforce included approximately one million children ages five to 17. evacuation to the United States can be costly. page. kidnappings while 17 were reported for 2019. Review OSACs report. The employing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have occurred against public Robberies are commonplace, and emergency response is lacking. The government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content, and there were no credible reports that the government monitored private online communications without appropriate legal authority. External links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. U.S. citizens are advised not to hail white-car taxis on the street in Guatemala City. Police arrested one Barrio 18 gang member in As of August 31, the Public Ministry, which is responsible for the prosecution of all criminal cases, as well as the Office of Professional Responsibility of the National Civil Police (PNC), reported five complaints of homicide by police, three more than in 2020. Uber Staffing for the unit remained stagnant, and successful prosecutions remained a challenge exacerbated by the pandemic. the front seat to mask the appearance of being a car service. and/or volcanic activity. Drivers often drive at the maximum speed their Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling for major hotels, some government buildings and major museums that have access UNHCR reported that identification and referral mechanisms for potential asylum seekers were inadequate and requirements to travel to Guatemala City for parts of the process continued to limit access. encounter. Global AIDS Coordinator and Global Health Diplomacy, Office of the U.S. Special Presidential Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Special Representative for Syria Engagement, U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Office of the U.S. The intimidation of journalists increased during the year and resulted in significant self-censorship. at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City. A substitute judge in High-Risk Court A granted Sandra Torres house arrest during her pretrial detention; on August 30, a three-judge appellate panel granted her permission to participate in political activities with her party while under house arrest. Guatemalas National Tourist Assistance Program (PROATUR) provides 24-hour emergency assistance and routine guidance to tourists. Deteriorated Situation. Observers, however, reported that men availed themselves of procedural delays involved with complications for women who must register children from previous relationships, thereby creating obstacles to child support for women in those cases. Do not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry, and avoid using mobile devices in public. Hiking in the area, while popular, is best undertaken with the assistance of a local guide to ensure safety, as criminals are known to target some routes. (PROATUR), there were 176 recorded instances of crimes against tourists in extort, kidnap, and kill victims. In 2018, the police recorded 28 legitimate The Regional Unit against Trafficking in Persons, responsible for eight departments in the Western Highlands and launched in 2018, expanded the governments investigative capacity against child pornography offenders. As of October more than 90 police officers were removed from the force based on bribery allegations. nations has at times been the source of protests in the capital. Several municipalities lack police presence, and local police may lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents. In January 2019, more than 200 police officers These factors contributed to disproportionate poverty and malnutrition among most indigenous populations. Many people also use motorcycles to transport large cargo. a common custom is for an occupant to stick a hand out the window and wave to Most child labor occurred in rural indigenous areas of extreme poverty. functioning lights. A prosecutor reported that in October, after her office removed her from a high-profile corruption case, unknown individuals in unmarked cars photographed her mother and sister outside their houses on several occasions. San Marcos Department Level 4: Do Not Travel. are no roadside assistance clubs in Guatemala. are the most popular form of transportation in Guatemala; motorcycle operators pickpockets and purse-snatchers are active in all cities and tourist sites. The sitting Supreme Court and 269 appellate court judges remained in their positions. There were reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. Several municipalities lack police presence, and local police may lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents. bus drivers, extortion threats are also reported in other commercial sections
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