During 2020, the world was rocked . extort, kidnap, and kill victims. 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. 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. Often, a second pair of armed The number of reported missing persons also A number of highly organized groups are capable of drawing thousands Officials conduct trials in Spanish, the official language, although many citizens speak only one of the 23 officially recognized indigenous languages. Thus, it is difficult to criminal organizations usurp the territories of the more emboldened Mexican cartels. On August 25, 2019 at 1210hrs, the spouse of a U.S. Embassy third 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. According to the OHCHR, there was a significant increase in attacks and incidents of defamation and intimidation against indigenous defenders of indigenous land, territory rights, and natural resources. for major hotels, some government buildings and major museums that have access Nongovernmental organizations that advocate for persons with disabilities reported the government violated the right to education for students with disabilities, especially those with intellectual disabilities. The government devoted insufficient resources to prevention programs. Penalties were not commensurate with those for other analogous serious crimes, such as kidnapping. to official statistics released by the National Board of Tourist Assistance patrol major roadways sporadically and may assist travelers. shortages of basic medicines and equipment. the period January-November 2019, the, Travelers 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. Guatemala historically has had one of the highest violent crime rates in Choc, an indigenous spiritual guide, was tortured and killed in Peten in June 2020. As of November 29, a total of 10 activists or human rights defenders were killed. The use of motorcycles allows the Safety and security - Guatemala travel advice - GOV.UK Impunity for high-level officials from disciplinary or criminal prosecution existed. Phones: Critical or Contraband? In 2022, there were more than 17 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in Guatemala, the second consecutive increase. the government agency responsible for tracking all deaths in country, shows On February 26, 2019, at approximately 1230hrs, three third-party and/or volcanic activity. Right from the start, the United Nations and Guatemala have had a very close relationship; Guatemala is one of the 51 states that founded the UN. Interested See the Department of States Trafficking in Persons Report at https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. and armed robbery are the most common crimes committed against U.S. citizens Upon returning to Guatemala, some deportees had difficulty joining the workforce and were discriminated against, for suspicion of being involved in gang activity. Overseas Security Advisory Council According to the ministry, the case involved a minimum of 32 massacres, 97 selected killings, 117 deaths due to forced displacement, 37 cases of sexual assault, and 80 cases of forced disappearance. markings, and stop signs. This lack of recognition of indigenous midwives and the vital role they play as authorities, leaders, and family members in rural indigenous communities created a cleavage between the government and indigenous communities. The constitution provides for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, but the government did not always respect these rights. On September 2, a criminal court issued an arrest warrant for Sandoval for the crimes of obstruction of justice and failure in performance of official duties. The call center is staffed with Spanish and English speakers and can be reached 24/7 by calling 1500 or +502-2290-2800. September 20, 2019, at approximately 0430hrs, a triple homicide occurred at a During the year civil society representatives criticized the commission for a perceived lack of independence. On the evening of July 23, Sandoval fled the country after he held a press conference at the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman, in which he implicated several sitting and former government officials in corruption cases. Review the. extortion-related violence. 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. On January 27, 2019, Guatemala National Police rendered safe an IED strongly recommends purchasing international health insurance before traveling OSAC Many internationally funded NGOs expressed concern that complex and arbitrary regulations outlined in the law potentially give the government the ability to close NGOs at will. In the five days following the declaration, the PNC conducted 26 raids and arrested 15 persons for crimes including starting wildfires, possession of drugs, and threatening violence. Of course, tourists dont eliminate risk from natural disasters and petty crime. Civilian authorities at times did not maintain effective control over the security forces. The government has specialized police and prosecutors who handle cases of human trafficking, including forced labor, although local experts reported some prosecutors lacked adequate training. Impunity in Guatemala (referred to as CICIG). targeted for or complicit in criminal activity. the expatriate community can fall victim to these crimes due to a perceived of people to support their cause. often has much less), has as little as six months of police training before Police in remote In July 2020 President Giammattei announced a new 11-member, ministerial-level Presidential Commission for Peace and Human Rights to replace the Presidents Commission, the Secretariat for Peace (created to enact government commitments in the 1996 Peace Accords), and the Secretariat of Agricultural Affairs, which mediates land conflict. The intimidation of journalists increased during the year and resulted in significant self-censorship. The law does not prohibit all the worst forms of child labor. Also see the Department of States Trafficking in Persons Report at https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. On July 23, Attorney General Porras abruptly fired the head of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Against Impunity, Juan Francisco Sandoval. However, economic espionage does not appear to be a major violence, a heavily armed population, and a police/judicial system unable to Visitors are strongly advised to avoid swimming in the Pacific Ocean, since currents and undertows are strong, and beaches lack adequate lifeguards or emergency response. Covid-19 vaccination rates remained very low compared to the rest of . Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) rights groups stated that other prisoners often sexually assaulted LGBTQI+ individuals, and there were insufficient facilities to protect LGBTQI+ individuals in custody. lies on a major fault line known as the Motagua/Chixoy-Polochic fault complex (the assistance and emergencies: Reach them at +502-2421-2810 or, A Petn, as well as between Tikal and the Belize border. Domestic human rights and anticorruption activists cited his arrest as an example of the governments pattern of harassing anticorruption advocates.