Guatemala

Guatemala: State of Siege in Place in Alta Verapaz

Date: December 22nd, 2010 |

The government imposed a 30-day state of siege in the central province of Alta Verapaz to combat violence caused by a brutal Mexican drug gang that infiltrated the area a few years ago. The region, which is home to several popular national parks, has become a corridor for transporting drugs from Honduras to Mexico. The [read more]

Guatemala: Mudslides Close Roads Across Country

Date: September 8th, 2010 |

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Mudslides triggered by heavy rains swamped roads around the country and killed dozens, including, rescuers trying to dig out victims buried in vehicles. Areas near Solola, Tecpan, Colomba and Antigua were seriously affected. The slides disrupted travel on the Inter-American Highway and more rain was [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]

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: Armed Robberies of Tourists on Acatenango Volcano

Date: July 30th, 2009 |

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The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City reported that two separate tourist groups hiking the Acatenango Volcano in Chimaltenango in July were attacked under similar circumstances. As many as six gunmen robbed both groups. In at least one incident the gunmen attempted a sexual assault, and in the other they shot the armed escorts accompanying the [read more]

Guatemala: Road Closure May Make Lake Atitlan Hard to Reach until January

Date: November 10th, 2010 |

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The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City strongly recommends deferring travel to Lake Atitlan until January because the road from the Department of Solola to Panajachel on the lake will be closed until the end of the year while a new road is being built. The Embassy reported that alternate routes to Panajachel by road or [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]

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: 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]

Guatemala: Motorbike Passengers Banned to Stop Attacks

Date: April 15th, 2009 |

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Authorities in Guatemala City banned passengers from motorcycles in an effort to stop criminal attacks. Extortion gangs use motorcycles to enforce demands for money from bus drivers because their gunmen can ride on the back and easily escape in dense traffic. More than 60 bus drivers or their assistants have been shot already [read more]

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