Guatemala

Date: November 9th, 2004 |

Blocking roads as a form of protest has become common here, with the most recent case occurring Nov. 3 when some 10,000 veterans of the former “civil patrols” blocked access to the international airport and dozens of other roads to pressure the government to make good on its promise to pay compensation for their efforts. [read more]

Guatemala

Date: October 19th, 2004 |

No Comments

It is no secret that the cause of traveler�s diarrhea is usually contaminated food and water and that the scourge is more prevalent in less-developed countries. Guatemalan officials recently announced that fully 98 percent of the country�s water sources are polluted, mostly with human waste and chemical residues. There are 24 water treatment plants in [read more]

Guatemala

Date: October 28th, 2003 |

No Comments

Presidential elections will be held Nov. 9 and fears abound that violence will escalate between now and the vote. The latest killing of a regional party leader on Oct. 22 marked the 21st murder of a political activist or regional leader since the election date was set last May. The political opposition and the Organization [read more]

Guatemala

Date: April 9th, 2003 |

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Roadblocks have become a favorite mode of demonstration, and may be again in the coming weeks because former members of the civil defense patrol have not received promised payments. Last June they shut down all major roads in the Peten, including access to the archaeological site of Tikal, until promises of payments settled the unrest. [read more]

Guatemala

Date: July 9th, 2002 |

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Former members of the Guatemalan civil defense patrol blockaded roads in the Peten in mid-June, including all roads to the Flores airport and to the famous archaeological site of Tikal. Many people had their movement restricted and a group of tourists were forcibly detained at Tikal for 36 hours until protesters and the government agreed [read more]

Guatemala and Honduras

Date: October 26th, 2004 |

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These Central American countries are launching similar programs to increase safety on urban buses, having national police and soldiers patrol the transit lines to stop crime and extortion. The Guatemalan effort, which began Oct. 18, has 600 officers boarding buses at different places and times with the authority to check documents of anyone they deem [read more]

Guatemala

Date: January 20th, 2004 |

No Comments

Five armed robbers recently held up a tour minibus, killing one American and terrorizing and robbing the other twelve occupants. The group was traveling from the mountain city of Quetzaltenango, approximately 120 miles west of the capital, Guatemala City, to the Mexican border when they were stopped and attacked. No arrests have been [read more]

Guatemala

Date: September 2nd, 2003 |

No Comments

Officials expect a number of demonstrations in the months leading up to the presidential elections scheduled for November. Demonstrators increasingly have used roadblocks and blocking of facilities, including roads to airports, as a way to make their protests heard. Most such demonstrations have been peaceful but some have turned violent. Travelers who get caught behind [read more]

Guatemala

Date: March 5th, 2003 |

No Comments

Public school teachers striking since Jan. 20 disrupted travel at the international airport in Guatemala City Feb. 25-26 and shut down the regional airport in Flores serving Tikal National Park. They blocked highways all over the country and caused the closure of many border checkpoints. By Feb. 27 they had withdrawn from the airports but [read more]

Guatemala

Date: February 19th, 2002 |

No Comments

An air traffic controllers strike in Guatemala City ended in less than 24 hours when the transportation minister acknowledged that they were underpaid and their grievances would be addressed. More than 100 commercial flights had to alter schedules and many others were canceled. Air traffic into Guatemala City should remain normal unless negotiat [read more]