Central America

Guatemala: Floods and Mudslides

Date: October 11th, 2005 |

1 comment

Torrential rains from Hurricane Stan swept across Guatemala and other Central American countries causing extensive flooding and massive mudslides that wiped out entire villages. Areas hardest hit were Mayan mountain villages, but Santiago Atitlan and Panajachel, both on the shores of Lake Atitlan and popular with foreign tourists, were overwhelmed. Some 40 people were killed [read more]

Nicaragua: Violent Crime in Atlantic Coastal Regions

Date: September 6th, 2005 |

No Comments

Violent crime is escalating in the Atlantic coastal regions and the Corn Islands, and the Nicaraguan National Police do not have the resources to combat it. The U.S. Embassy in Managua has received reports of numerous crimes against residents and tourists in the region and now prohibits personnel from traveling to the area, with limited [read more]

Costa Rica: No More Swimming with Dolphins

Date: August 9th, 2005 |

No Comments

Swimming with dolphins and whales has been banned throughout the country, and it is now illegal to keep the animals in captivity. This close contact with marine mammals has been a growing tourist attraction, with some 45 companies promoting it, but it has been criticized by environmental groups. In other news, moneychangers who work the [read more]

Caribbean: Hurricane Season

Date: July 13th, 2005 |

No Comments

Hurricane Dennis opened the Caribbean hurricane season with a bang, causing death and destruction in Cuba and Haiti and slamming into Florida before diminishing inland. Hurricane season runs until Nov. 30 and the National Weather Service predicts as many as 15 tropical storms, with up to nine of them becoming hurricanes and three to five [read more]

Guatemala

Date: May 10th, 2005 |

No Comments

Highway robbery has been a problem here for years and continues to be, but fewer incidents have been reported in recent months. Buses, vans and private vehicles have all been stopped. The bandits usually are heavily armed and often respond violently to resistance. U.S. Mission personnel are not permitted to travel on inter- and intra-city [read more]

Martinique: Dengue Fever Epidemic

Date: October 4th, 2005 |

No Comments

Martinique also has a dengue fever problem, with almost 1,000 cases a week being reported since mid-September. Two people have died out of more than 6,000 repor [read more]

Costa Rica: Dengue Fever Outbreak

Date: August 30th, 2005 |

No Comments

Dengue fever is increasing in Costa Rica and has claimed its first victim in more than six years. A 24-year-old man died in Puntarenas Aug. 20. More than 14,000 cases of dengue fever have been reported since January, an increase of 35 percent over last year. The central Pacific and Atlantic regions are the most [read more]

Costa Rica: Passport Thefts

Date: July 20th, 2005 |

No Comments

Despite its allure as a peaceful, tropical escape with numerous national parks and adventure tourism programs, Costa Rica has a high petty crime rate, with foreign passports being a prime target. Police recently arrested seven Costa Ricans and two Colombians who had a business of buying and selling stolen U.S. passports. The U.S. Embassy reported [read more]

Honduras

Date: June 14th, 2005 |

No Comments

Highway travel in Honduras can be dangerous because of bandits, and they are often quick to use weapons when victims resist. A Canadian man was killed in a bus holdup on the road between San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba when he tried to defend his girlfriend after she had been hit by one of [read more]

Belize

Date: April 26th, 2005 |

No Comments

A labor dispute with workers for Belize Telecommunications Limited over ownership shares of the national phone system flared into clashes with police in Belize City and resulted in sabotage of phone lines that cut all telephone, fax and internet service for three days. ATMs were shut down and the borders with Mexico and Guatemala were [read more]