During the last several decades this strikingly beautiful country has seen lots of trouble, from political repression to civil war. In December 1996 a peace agreement settled Guatemala’s 36-year civil conflict and hopes were high that the country had reached a new beginning. But moving from a culture of war to peace is never an easy thing. Some of the combatants wasted little time in pursuing the only course of action they knew and turned to crime.
The robbery of an American college group on an educational tour on Jan. 18 and the rape of five students in the attack was a tragic, but not surprising, incident. Violent crime has escalated around the country in the last year, and similar attacks have occurred, with bandits forcing buses or tourist vans off the road, robbing everyone, and raping some. Tourist vans have become favorite targets because foreigners are assumed to have money. Traveling in a group during daylight hours used to reduce the risks, but attacks in recent months have been occurring as often during the day as at night, and there’s little recourse if armed bandits confront a lone vehicle.
Still, Guatemala has a lot to offer in its defense. Every year thousands of travelers explore the country without incident; in a small area it has stupendous volcanoes, caldera lakes, a rich indigenous culture, one of Central America’s most magnificent archeological sites and beautiful colonial architecture in peaceful highland towns. The markets are some of the most colorful anywhere in the Western world, and the people, although guarded after so many years of abuse, are friendly when you make the effort.
Antigua remains one of Latin America’s most beautiful cities, set amid three volcanoes, and is a popular place to study Spanish. Language schools offer intensive courses and arrange homestays for total immersion. Instruction is generally good and the experience allows you to get to know the city and people in ways you never could as a casual tourist. Like any city, Antigua has dangerous neighborhoods; foreigners have been crime victims in Cerro de la Cruz Park, so remain alert.
Climbing the volcanoes is a popular but risky activity because of bandits. Ask around before setting out, be sure to go with a group and a guide, but ask people who don’t have a financial interest in your trip to make sure you get unbiased opinions about safety.
Travel to the Mayan site of Tikal in the Peten, the jungle-covered flatlands bordering Mexico and Belize, is generally safe if you fly into Flores and take a bus to Tikal. It’s a magnificent site and worth every effort. Spend the night so you’ll have lots of time to wander.
All travel has its risks, and Guatemala at this time may be more dangerous than other places in Central America. The odds are always with you, though, because far more people visit safely than become crime victims. Should you choose to go, remain upbeat, be cautious and don’t carry anything you can’t afford to lose.
Worldwide updates
Security advisory: Two criminal cases in the United States involving foreign Muslims could have an impact on Americans traveling overseas. On Jan. 8 Ramzi Yousef was sentenced to life in prison for involvement in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and on Jan. 23 Mir Aimal Kasi was sentenced to death for the murders of two CIA employees outside the agency’s headquarters in 1993. It’s possible that these sentences could draw revenge attacks on American interests or American citizens traveling in Islamic countries. Shortly after Kasi was arrested in November, gunmen ambushed and killed four American businessmen in Karachi, Pakistan. Passions were further inflamed by Yousef’s conviction. Similar attacks could happen, in Pakistan or elsewhere. Keep a low profile if traveling in the Islamic world.
Brazil: A host of new laws went into effect in January to try to improve driving safety in a country with one of the world’s worst driving records. Fifty thousand people die annually in accidents because drivers routinely ignore traffic laws. Whether the new laws, which increase penalties for offenders, will be strictly enforced remains to be seen. Drive defensively.
Britain: Those who haven’t been to Britain or France in a while may remember that they weren’t able to access U.S. 800 numbers on their last visit, a situation that has changed in the past year. There are, of course, standard charges for these international calls, but at least the same useful 800 numbers available in the States for making reservations or finding information are now available from these countries.
Burundi: A midnight curfew remains in effect in the capital city of Bujumbura, where tensions are high at night because of ongoing conflict between the army and Hutu rebels in the surrounding hills. The army has the upper hand but the stresses of an economic embargo and diminishing supplies could inflame ethnic passions in a region that saw terrible ethnic strife in 1994.
East Africa: A cholera epidemic that has swept the region because of widespread flooding from four months of heavy rain has reached its peak, according to WHO officials. Some 3,000 people have died and there are reports that the disease may have spread to central Africa, with cases appearing in Congo and the Republic of Congo. Be sure to drink only purified water and eat food that’s been thoroughly cooked if traveling in the region.
France: A school group of 26 teenagers led by six adults ignored warnings of dangerous avalanche conditions brought on by unusually heavy snowfalls in the Alps and went snowshoeing on unstable snow. They triggered an avalanche that swept them away and killed 11. Initially authorities believed three skiers skiing off-piste–off the marked trails–had caused the slide. Off-piste skiing is a common practice in the Alps, something French skiers assume is their right, and this incident is a reminder to know the terrain, the risks and the culture if skiing in the Alps, or anywhere, for that matter. The mountains in winter can be dangerous no matter how controlled the environment may seem. At most resorts in the U.S. it might be hard to stray from the trails accidentally, but in Europe it’s easier to get lost because the runs are less clearly marked and it is assumed that skiers are responsible for their own welfare.
Guam: The island has recovered from Typhoon Paka, which blew through in mid-December with ferocious winds and huge waves that caused substantial damage. Electrical power and water service have been restored, the airport is in full operation, all of the tourist facilities are open and life has returned to normal.
Yugoslavia: Tensions are high in the Kosovo region where ethnic Albanians clashed with Serbian police. For years Albanians in Kosovo have been demanding autonomy, and the possibility of a wider conflict exists. Follow local press reports for current updates.
Because conditions can change overnight, always make your own inquiries before you leave home. In the U.S., contact a Passport Agency office or the State Department in Washington; abroad, check in with the nearest American embassy or consulate.
