Central America

Nicaragua: New “Friends” Lure Victims into Taxi Kidnappings

Date: July 28th, 2010 |

The U.S. Embassy in Managua reported that nearly a dozen taxi kidnappings occurred in the past month in several areas, including around the international airport, along bus routes to and from San Juan del Sur, San Jorge, Granada, Managua, Esteli and Masaya, and in the city of Managua. In all cases involving U.S. citizens, the [read more]

Panama: Bocas del Toro Strike Disrupted Travel, Closed Border

Date: July 14th, 2010 |

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Striking banana workers clashed with state police in Changuinola, Bocas del Toro July 8, with two people killed and scores injured. The weeklong strike disrupted travel in and out of the area and closed the border with Costa Rica. The unrest calmed by July 11 and the situation returned to normal after the Bocas Fruit [read more]

Guatemala: Pacaya Volcano Continues to Flow; Many Roads Affected by Tropical Storm Agatha

Date: June 9th, 2010 |

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Authorities warned tourists to stay away from erupting Pacaya volcano and closed Pacaya National Park, but enterprising locals continued to take visitors near the lava flows via a private farm. Emergency officials said the volcano, which erupted dramatically May 27 and killed a reporter in a shower of volcanic rock, is still very dangerous. In [read more]

Honduras: Army to Patrol Streets, Clamp Down on Drug Violence

Date: April 14th, 2010 |

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The army will begin patrolling streets in Tegucigalpa and other areas to clamp down on drug cartel violence. The country of fewer than 8 million people has had an average of more than 4,000 homicides the past five years, with more than 5,300 in 2009. Soldiers have been told to search vehicles and pedestrians and [read more]

El Salvador: Crime Threat “Critical,” U.S. Embassy Says

Date: December 30th, 2009 |

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In a message issued Dec. 23, the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador stated that “the crime threat in El Salvador is critical,” citing ongoing street gang activity and random and organized crime that includes extortion and kidnapping. U.S. citizens have not been singled out, but are subject to the same threat facing everyone in El [read more]

Guatemala: Extortion Gangs Continue Attacks on Bus Drivers

Date: July 21st, 2010 |

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Gangs running extortion rackets against Guatemala City bus drivers continued their murderous enforcement with three recent attacks that killed four people. In one, two passengers died and 15 were injured when the assailants tossed a grenade inside the bus and it ignited a fire. The bus was on its regular route between Guatemala City and [read more]

Honduras: Spike in Dengue Fever Raises Alert

Date: June 30th, 2010 |

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Health authorities raised a red alert for dengue fever after 10 people died and some 11,000 contracted the mosquito-borne disease. Of the total cases, 461 are the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever, and the main victims are under 19 years of age. Classic dengue fever is a serious viral disease that causes high fever, intense headaches [read more]

Central America: Tropical Storm Agatha, Pacayo Volcano Wreak Havoc

Date: June 2nd, 2010 |

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Tropical storm Agatha ravaged Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador over the weekend, causing scores of mudslides and significant flooding, and killing at least 179 people. The eruption of Guatemala’s Pacayo volcano a few days before Agatha hit compounded the country’s problems, dumping tons of ash on Guatemala City and elsewhere that turned to thick mud [read more]

Guatemala: Bus Drivers Strike, Demand Better Security, Subsidies

Date: March 24th, 2010 |

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A nationwide bus drivers’ strike shut down transit throughout the country and blocked highways into Guatemala City March 22. Security forces removed buses that were blocking the roads but more than 37,000 intercity drivers vowed to continue the strike until the government met their demands for more security and a share in subsidies granted to [read more]

Guatemala: Gangs Extort, Kill Bus Drivers

Date: December 23rd, 2009 |

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Criminal gangs are terrorizing Guatemala City’s bus network, the only viable public transit in the country, through extortion of bus drivers. If the drivers don’t pay protection money, the gangs kill them. This year alone they have killed 170 drivers, while the cost of protection is about two-thirds of the drivers’ salaries, but they have [read more]