There has been concern about recent events in Guatemala City. Here is the current situation:
On Sunday, January 18th there were coordinated prison riots at 3 prisons in Guatemala City, and gang attacks that left 10 police officers dead. President Bernardo Arévalo decreed a 30-day State of Emergency throughout Guatemalan territory on Sunday the 18th, which was ratified on January 20th by Congress. On Sunday the U.S. embassy issued a security alert, and Guatemala City was basically locked down for the day. Authorities have since retaken control of the prisons.
The State of Emergency is a constitutional measure suspending some civil liberties, granting the military expanded powers to confront major threats like gang violence or insurrection, allowing curfews, restrictions on assembly, and increased military/police presence, often localized to specific areas, to restore order rapidly. It also allows authorities to limit demonstrations and enables the police to arrest anyone suspected of being a gang member without an arrest warrant.
As of January 20th, the country is operating normally, with everyone returning to work and school in Guatemala City. The good news is that this is not an open-ended State of Emergency. It's restricted to 30 days, and doesn't look like a presidential power grab. There will probably be an increased military presence in Guatemala for the next 30 days, mostly focused on Guatemala City.
We want to remind Pura Vida trip participants that this sort of occurrence is not unusual in Guatemala. Trip leadership and extensive planning help to mitigate many issues, but travel to Guatemala is never risk-free. Trip members should not be lulled into becoming comfortable in a developing country where rule of law is weak. Trip members should practice situational awareness at all times, especially in bigger cities.
On Sunday, January 18th there were coordinated prison riots at 3 prisons in Guatemala City, and gang attacks that left 10 police officers dead. President Bernardo Arévalo decreed a 30-day State of Emergency throughout Guatemalan territory on Sunday the 18th, which was ratified on January 20th by Congress. On Sunday the U.S. embassy issued a security alert, and Guatemala City was basically locked down for the day. Authorities have since retaken control of the prisons.
The State of Emergency is a constitutional measure suspending some civil liberties, granting the military expanded powers to confront major threats like gang violence or insurrection, allowing curfews, restrictions on assembly, and increased military/police presence, often localized to specific areas, to restore order rapidly. It also allows authorities to limit demonstrations and enables the police to arrest anyone suspected of being a gang member without an arrest warrant.
As of January 20th, the country is operating normally, with everyone returning to work and school in Guatemala City. The good news is that this is not an open-ended State of Emergency. It's restricted to 30 days, and doesn't look like a presidential power grab. There will probably be an increased military presence in Guatemala for the next 30 days, mostly focused on Guatemala City.
We want to remind Pura Vida trip participants that this sort of occurrence is not unusual in Guatemala. Trip leadership and extensive planning help to mitigate many issues, but travel to Guatemala is never risk-free. Trip members should not be lulled into becoming comfortable in a developing country where rule of law is weak. Trip members should practice situational awareness at all times, especially in bigger cities.
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