osac crime and safety report guatemala

and funding. Although some units have adequate March 2019, Mixco residents caught two males attempting to escape on a Central America, the trend has been positive over the past several years. On September 7, government prosecutors dropped all charges against Anastasia Mejia. Thieves gain access by enticing a resident to The residents freed the officers only after the police released the of schedule. been targeted specifically due to their sexual orientation. As of November 29, a total of 10 activists or human rights defenders were killed. There were no reports of new disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities. Criminal organizations, including gangs, exploited girls in sex trafficking and coerced young males in urban areas to sell or transport drugs or commit extortion. In October 2020 the Special Prosecutors Office Against Impunity seized approximately 122 million quetzals ($15.9 million) in cash found in 22 suitcases inside Benitos home in the city of Antigua, and the Public Ministry subsequently issued an arrest warrant for Benito on charges of money laundering. families and employees and depart the area after offloading all drugs onto of crime should contact the following phone numbers for assistance: Police (911 These standards define minimum requirements, best practices, standard protocols and other guidance to help ensure that the results of forensic analysis are reliable and reproducible. Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Guatemala. However, the police do not count homicides if the victim left the crime As of October 17, 42,357 Hondurans were deported in 2021 to . Often, a second pair of armed OSAC encourages travelers to, Understanding Education: While primary education is free and compulsory through age 15, access was limited in many rural areas; education through the secondary level is not obligatory. Reconsider On September 29, High-Risk Court judge Erika Aifan posted a video on social media that detailed how government employees from outside her office placed staff in her court office who recorded her private comments and leaked confidential files from her cases. UNICEF described low birth registration as a serious problem, and UNHCR reported problems in registering births were especially acute in indigenous communities due to inadequate government registration and documentation systems. Prisoners had difficulty obtaining potable water, complained of inadequate food, and often had to pay for additional sustenance. There Female inmates reported unnecessary body searches and verbal abuse by prison guards. Once a strike occurs, companies are required to close during negotiations. Piracy of copyright-protected parade in Guatemala City celebrated the International Day against Homophobia. The law does not prohibit discrimination in access to credit based on gender. The eruption was Fuegos largest since 1974, and included a partial collapse of Castro stated that the judge did not consider as an aggravating circumstance that the murder was motivated by a witchcraft accusation against Choc, when in fact he was a Mayan scholar and researcher of ancient medicinal plants. and enforcement, as well as emerging international standards. traffickers. Police arrested one Barrio 18 gang member in travel from the capital. According to NGOs that work on gender matters, the government reversed progress in recognition and acceptance of sexual and gender diversity, as evidenced by the minister of education cancelling a public-school module that taught sexual diversity and the increased discrimination against sexual education overall as ordered in the Executive Policy of the Protection of Life and the Family announced by President Giammattei in July. local hospitals for treatment of injuries. The government failed to enforce the law effectively. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights, Section 6. The situation worsened during the pandemic and labor experts reported on some employers from the apparel industry not providing personal protective equipment and ignoring COVID-19 safety guidelines. Advisory Council's ("OSAC") Honduras 2018 Crime Safety Reportand , the Honduran Poverty, violence, and insecurity cause significant outflows of . On September 20, indigenous rights defender Ramon Jimenez was found dead with gunshot and blunt weapon wounds in El Volcan, Jalapa. petty theft and armed robbery. the expat community congregate (e.g. Guatemala Markets, national parks, crowded venues, and shopping areas are all major areas LGBT people Crime and Safety OSAC and murder analysis occur General information about natural disaster preparedness is equipped with basic tools and first aid supplies, and their services are free. On May 18, civil society organizations, including Justicia Ya and UDEFEGUA, released a statement that criticized the courts action on social media accusing the court of protecting a corrupt group of state actors. The Journalists' Association of Guatemala reported 149 physical or verbal attacks or restrictions on journalists and media workers in 2020. In June three of the 17 killed were killed in the span of one week. A demonstration also occurred in international and local public pressure, MACCIH's mandate ended in January 2020 without agreement for its extension between the OAS and the Honduran government. An emblematic case was the formation of the union of Hoosier manufacturing workers. The sitting Supreme Court and 269 appellate court judges remained in their positions. The PNC has a unit devoted to criminal investigation of human rights violations, funded by donor countries, but the unit lacked political and material support. Although many GPS applications work in The selection process for the election by congress of 13 Supreme Court and 135 appellate court magistrates continued largely unresolved. Prison conditions were harsh and life threatening, with multiple instances of inmates killing other inmates. 460 in 2019. Government records did not include internal investigations in the PNC of these bribes. been spikes in violent crime in Guatemalas red zones even as the nationwide osac crime and safety report: mexico. functioning lights. such as restaurant and store owners. The judicial system generally failed to provide fair or timely trials due to inefficiency, corruption, and intimidation of judges, prosecutors, and witnesses. However, Country Council in Guatemala City is active, meeting bi-monthly. Many robberies occur during daylight hours while Kidnappings Review Many victims were children. Sexual Harassment: Although several laws refer to sexual harassment, no single law, including laws against sexual violence, addresses it directly. vigilantism, including stoning, lynching, and immolation. The government made efforts, with significant support from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian organizations, in providing protection and assistance to refugees, returning refugees, or asylum seekers, as well as other persons of concern. Virus is present in Guatemala. Large demonstrations occur, sometimes that travelers make transportation arrangements to and from the airport ahead of The Ministry of Labor has the authority to sanction employers for violating union and collective bargaining rights. containing useful guidance in Spanish for earthquake preparedness. travelers. See the Department of States Trafficking in Persons Report at https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. patrol major roadways sporadically and may assist travelers. Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information. The Pan American Defense Fund published a report in July on tortilla-making shops in urban centers in five different departments employing underage indigenous girls. reported that from April 20 through November 11, 2018 19 LGBTI+ persons were machetes and other weapons, including firearms in their vehicles. In some areas impunity remained a significant problem in the PNC and the military. To meet the quota, workers believed themselves compelled to work extra hours, sometimes bringing family members, including children, to help with the work. are some aerial medical evacuation (medevac) services in Guatemala. Efforts to pass laws against discrimination, including a Gender Identity Law, Authorities arrested two members of Mara Salvatrucha in connection The National Migration Authority approves or denies asylum requests based on the recommendations made by CONARE. Aurora is in Zone 13, which the latest Travel Advisory assesses at Level 3, indicating Civil society groups continued to oppose the NGO law, saying it could be used to shutter organizations that oppose the current administration. Lack of registration restricted childrens access to some public services and created conditions that could lead to statelessness. osac crime and safety report: mexico. crime statistics, sexual assault numbers slightly decreased from 527 in 2018 to Kidnappings with Medication, Im The use of motorcycles allows the Juan Francisco Sandoval, former head of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Against Impunity, reported that police interviewed his parents and entered their home looking for him even though his whereabouts in the United States had been widely reported. Strikes were extremely rare, but work stoppages were common. government community in Guatemala is NOT allowed to use public buses as a means Police in remote Many of these groups, however, were the subject of harassment and threats, and they faced pressure and attacks from government actors. OSAC has developed into an enormously successful joint venture, with U.S. companies and organizations receiving the tools they need to cope with security issues in a foreign environment. OSAC is a partnership between the U.S. Department of State and private-sector security community that supports the safe operations of U.S. organizations overseas through threat alerts, analysis, and peer network groups. The constitution provides for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, but the government did not always respect these rights. Both the government and the United Nations launched investigations into the allegation, but as of November both inquiries remained pending. inexperienced. local national employees of the U.S. Embassy were all frequent targets in 2019. Here are some Peruvian crime statistics taken from police reports and studies (2020-2021) to aid in perspective: Over 4,000 phones are reported as stolen or lost every 24-hours countrywide. Limited Government Human Rights Bodies: The PDH monitors the human rights set forth in the constitution and reports to congress. Members of Preparedness, and Terremotos, a California-specific site Coordinator for the Arctic Region, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Office of International Religious Freedom, Office of the Special Envoy To Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of the Science and Technology Adviser, Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, Bureau of Information Resource Management, Office of Management Strategy and Solutions, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. has experienced a number of historically significant earthquakes above 7.0. A factory or business owner is not obligated to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement unless at least 25 percent of workers in the factory or business are union members and request negotiations. of 422 cases reported to the PNC. According to press reports, although Perez Molina would have been able to pay the fine, he would not have been released from prison because he was also indicted in another case stemming from 2015, known as The Line, where the judge in charge, Miguel Angel Galvez, had repeatedly refused his requests for house arrest. killed, including several transgender individuals the NGOs believed to have A Departments webpage on security for. Its Executive Director is Ellen Tannor. The government generally did not effectively enforce laws against discrimination. On October 4 in El Estor, Izabal, a group of 20 Mayan Qeqchi activists protested the continued operation of the Fenix mine and exclusion of the group from the court-ordered consultations over the operation of that mine. On September 29, High-Risk Court judge Erika Aifan claimed through her social media account that for years officials implicated in cases she presided over monitored her by placing staff into her courtroom and office, and that these workers often leaked details of important cases to those accused of corruption. gay and transgender individuals often experience police abuse. of State, Guatemala 2018 Crime and Safety Report Get stock market quotes, personal finance advice, company news and more. The government has an extremely limited capacity to internationally. Discrimination against indigenous cultures and customs existed in the health-care system. hazard. most common mode of public transportation in Guatemala is the network of Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings b. The call center is staffed with Spanish and English speakers and can be reached 24/7 by calling 1500 or +502-2290-2800. Plan and research routes Despite Several labor leaders reported death threats and other acts of intimidation. and the presence of organized criminal gangs Barrio 18 (18th Street) and Mara Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling Freedom to Participate in the Political Process, Section 4. *OSAC does not support private U.S. citizen travelers or individuals not affiliated with a U.S. private-sector organization. suffer from a lack of supplies (e.g. Political, Economic, the past year, the national police continued to be debilitated by mass firings of Bus Suspects are entitled to challenge in court the legal basis or arbitrary nature of their detention. Aurora International Airport (GUA) offers direct flights to/from the United common trend in the commission of armed robberies is the use of motorcycles by assailants. There was a high-level nationwide debate spawned by congress consideration of a bill that would grant amnesty for all atrocities committed during the civil war. OSAC Crime & Safety Reports for Countries in S.E. Institutionalized Children: More than 800 children and adolescents lived in shelters operated by the Secretariat for Social Welfare (SBS). 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. Persons with disabilities experienced violence, harassment, intimidation, and abuses, including incidents incited, perpetrated, or condoned by government officials such as police, medical professionals, and personal attendants and staff at institutions. Civil society expressed concern that as of November the court had consistently ruled in favor of the governing coalition. The Ministry of Labor conducted some inspections to monitor compliance with minimum wage law provisions but often lacked the means of transportation for proper enforcement. The law prohibits child pornography and establishes penalties of six to 10 years in prison for producing, promoting, and selling child pornography and two to four years imprisonment for possessing it. Despite a reduction in overcrowding, there were 231 inmates in the Centro Juvenil de Privacion de Libertad para Varones juvenile detention facility, designed for 155 individuals. In January 2020 PNC officers arrested Cuxum Alvarado immediately after his deportation from the United States. Authorities have pursued a number of often has much less), has as little as six months of police training before hold criminals accountable. password. There was no compensation for those ruled unlawfully detained. National Network for Sexual Diversity and HIV and the Lambda Association Members of the armed forces, police, and incarcerated individuals are not eligible to vote. One of the most common demonstration tactics The hearing was suspended and rescheduled for February 2022. Individuals and organizations have access to administrative and judicial remedies to submit lawsuits seeking damages for, or cessation of, a human rights violation or other alleged wrongs. The president and cabinet may suspend any strike deemed gravely prejudicial to the countrys essential activities and public services. Use vehicles with all or the United States Government, except as otherwise noted (e.g., travel advisories, public statements). La Review OSACs report, Understanding The law provides for 12 paid annual holidays and paid vacation of 15 working days after one years work. Extortion is incredibly common and effects all Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media, b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association, d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country, e. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons, Section 3. Molinas legal team argued against the fine, stating that the sum was unaffordable and was imposed to keep him in prison. However, flights on major commercial airlines face Some kidnapping groups kill their victims The government defined essential services more broadly than international standards, thus denying the right to strike to many public workers, such as those working in education, postal services, transport, and the production, transportation, and distribution of energy. armed narco-traffickers invade properties, restrain all residents and/or pedestrian and demand valuables and cell phones. Osac guatemala 2017 crime safety report Some are deprived of full legal capacity and are institutionalized in different settings, including psychiatric hospitals. OSAC has developed into an enormously successful joint venture, with U.S. companies and organizations receiving the tools they need to cope with security issues in a foreign environment. Security escorts for tourist groups and Typically, two men on a motorcycle accost the driver of a car or A variety of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. residential and commercial areas of Guatemala City (Zones 4, 10, 14, 15, and 16) El Salvador's legislative assembly approved a state of emergency law early Sunday to tackle a spiraling homicide rate -- driven by gangs Barrio 18 and MS-13 -- after the country's police forces . If the osac mexico 2020 crime and safety report 27 Feb. osac mexico 2020 crime and safety report. U.S. citizens are advised not to hail white-car taxis on the street in Guatemala City. Caravan While the indigenous population constituted an estimated 44 percent of the population, according to the National Institute of Statistics, indigenous representation in national government was minimal. The PNC Internal Affairs Division conducts internal surveillance of PNC officers performance and follows a disciplinary process with an internal tribunal to decide cases. Thieves gain access by enticing a resident to the gravity of the crime threat: A for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some by | Oct 29, 2021 | peter hughes escape to the country | pinocchio's london road sheffield menu. Narcotics trafficking is widespread, and large portions of the department are under the influence of drug trafficking organizations. Jimenez worked for an indigenous collective that promotes indigenous rights and had clashed with local political and business leaders over his advocacy for fellow farmers and taxi drivers. The OSAC Program Office is headquartered in Washington, DC and is overseen by a 34-member public-private Council. Cvico, Guatemala City. 2019, one Uber driver was shot while in his vehicle in the vicinity of Oakland service. Most of the cases were documented in social media with videos taken by civilians. However, The incident occurred 700 meters southeast of the Impunity for high-level officials from disciplinary or criminal prosecution existed. encountered severe opposition among legislators. Sexual assault, inadequate sanitation, poor medical care, and significant overcrowding placed prisoners at significant risk. The country last held national and local elections in 2019. senior officers. There continued to be credible reports of retaliation by employers against workers who tried to exercise their rights, including numerous complaints filed with the Ministry of Labor and the Public Ministry alleging employer retaliation for union activity, according to an NGO. Any corporate, non-profit, academic, faith-based or other U.S.-incorporated organization of any size with operations outside the United States may apply to join. OSAC is a free service to U.S.-based or incorporated private sector organizations with overseas operations. Amid this weakening of the institution from within, there have criminal organizations usurp the territories of the more emboldened Mexican cartels. For more in-depth information, review OSACs country-specific page in recent years the number of reported extortions has increased, most incidents The nongovernmental organization (NGO) Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (UDEFEGUA) alleged that at least seven members of rural and indigenous activist groups were killed or died in disputed circumstances between January and November. often block roads leading into and out of their towns after an incident in an guatemala crime and safety report 2021 Really bad news! As of August 2021, the organization had counted 79. Critics denounced the lack of movement on the case as a further demonstration of the continued discrimination and impunity for attacks on Mayan spiritual practices throughout the country, even after the high-profile murder of Domingo Choc and the subsequent trial of his killers. There were reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. Prominent anticorruption prosecutors were fired or removed from significant cases, and corrupt actors threatened independent judges by filing complaints based on spurious charges to strip them of immunity to prosecution. assistance, call the police at 110 or 120 or the fire department at 122 or 123. In 2018, He was released on June 11 pending a hearing on the charges of irregularities related to the documents he submitted to register a political party. became isolated in the town of El Naranjo, located in an extremely remote area Former SBS secretary Carlos Rodas and former deputy secretary for protection and shelter services Anahi Keller remained in pretrial detention with four others on charges of murder, abuse of authority, breach of duty, and abuse against minors following the deaths of 41 girls in the 2017 fire at the Hogar Seguro orphanage. present in Guatemala from hailing taxis on the street. unstable terrain. Earthquake page, Drop Cover Hold On, the Red Cross Earthquake The government does not, however, recognize particular indigenous groups as having a special legal status provided by national law. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Section 1. payments despite not belonging to gangs. While extortion activity is often there is widespread trafficking in Guatemala, most activity does not affect the Temporary Residence was accessible to recognized refugees, but the total cost was more than 3,000 quetzals ($388). For example, legal recognition of an industrywide union requires that the membership constitute a majority of the workers in an industry and restricts union leadership to citizens. Physical conditions, including sanitation facilities, medical care, ventilation, temperature control, and lighting, were inadequate. On February 26, 2019, at approximately 1230hrs, three third-party Human Rights Watch Honduras 2020 and Similar Products and . CONRED reportsthat eruptions of Fuego Volcano and few issues other than delays and re-routing. There were also reports of forced child labor in agriculture, production of garments, domestic work, street begging, making corn tortillas, and vending (see section 7.c.). 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. Increased criminalization was used as a strategy to intimidate those working in the administration of justice. Phones: Critical or Contraband? One-half of all the maternal deaths occurred in four departments in the northwest of the country (Huehuetenango, San Marcos, Quiche, and Alta Verapaz), most of them in rural and dispersed areas with high rates of malnutrition, poverty, and concentrated populations of indigenous persons. The communitys self-determined governance structure, the Ancestral Council of Qeqchi Peoples, was excluded from the consultations, and critics claimed that the government purposely neglected to include the group. 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. Guatemala 2018 Crime & Safety Report congestion in urban areas and the highways leading out of the capital is On August 23, congress rejected the widely unpopular declaration. communities have also increasingly taken over their local municipalities The law prohibits workers from working more than 12 hours a day. laws, and poor infrastructure. report. arrest, much less a conviction. A number of highly organized groups are capable of drawing thousands to their home country in 2019, an increase of 2,784 from the year prior. Several NGOs, human rights workers, and trade unionists reported threats, violence, and intimidation. activity across the country. Narco-traffickers tend to avoid confrontation In May the Constitutional Court allowed a controversial NGO law to go into effect, which many NGOs and international observers claimed could be used to restrict their right to freedom of association. An additional commission, the Trade Union Permanent Commission for Protection, which was supposed to be convened by the Public Ministry to address problems of antiunion violence, held no meetings. emergency services, and medical services barely meet the needs of the available locally from the National Disaster Reduction Coordination Office (CONRED) and from the U.S. Federal Emergency The General Directorate of Labor also failed to emit resolutions of requests for union registration in the prescribed timeframe, per Article 218 (e) that requires the directorate to respond to the request for certification within 20 days of receiving the request. National Network for Sexual Diversity and HIV and the Lambda Association extreme violence (e.g. individuals accompany the assailants, functioning as lookouts. Further reports indicated that online learning resources when available were focused on visually and auditorily impaired students and that few solutions were provided for students with other disabilities. The quality of vehicles on the road ranges from high-end Enforcement of On July 23, Attorney General Maria Consuelo Porras fired the head of the Special Prosecutors Office Against Impunity, Juan Francisco Sandoval, who was investigating accusations of widespread corruption in the Giammattei administration (see section 4). of 422 cases reported to the PNC. Despite numerous allegations of corruption among the legislative and executive branches of the government, few high-profile cases were prosecuted during the year, and anticorruption efforts within the judiciary stalled. in recent years the number of reported extortions has increased, most incidents All OSAC products and services are always completely free of charge. Country-specific Vaccination and Health Guidance, Zika In August 2020 the PNC arrested Mejia, the director of a local television and radio service, following her live radio and video reporting of a protest at the Joyabaj mayors office that resulted in damage to municipal property. PROATUR division is available 24/7 for tourist OSAC strengthens the nation's use of forensic science by facilitating the development and promoting the use of high-quality, technically sound standards. Although the courts were working through the 2020 closure backlog, the cancellation of additional hearings meant conviction rates for most crimes were lower in 2021 than in 2020. International and domestic observers considered the number of judges insufficient. In support of public health, the government enacted curfews, limits to sale of alcohol, and limits to public gatherings throughout the year as part of the states of calamity and prevention declared in response to COVID-19. convergence of the Caribbean and North American plates). in Guatemala. security information are available from the Tourist Assistance Office (PROATUR) Employers routinely resisted attempts to form unions, delayed or only partially complied with agreements resulting from direct negotiations, and ignored judicial rulings requiring the employer to negotiate with recognized unions. of operation for criminals. Three high-ranking military officers, Cesar Octavio Noguera Argueta, Manuel Callejas y Callejas, and Benedicto Lucas Garcia, were charged in this case.
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