Enhance Personal Safety in Guatemala
Strategies and Tips to Enhance Personal Safety(summarized from A.Valdez’ presentation to CAG teachers on May 20, 2008)
General Safety Measures
- Make a plan before going shopping; complete your tasks with purpose.
- Do not go to unfamiliar places where you might get lost easily.
- Only take essential items with you when you go out (don´t take ALL your credit cards, only the one you need and take little cash.)
- Avoid talking about values and vacation plans while in public.
- Verify that your home is locked.
- Do not carry your original passport with you if possible, rather have an authenticated copy of your passport with you.
- Don´t show CAG ID (school ID) in public.
- Avoid routines.
- Avoid staircases - take elevators.
- Get out of the elevator if you don´t like the look of the other passengers.
- Avoid mass gatherings or congregations.
- Check your credit card after making a purchase.
- Carry medical information on you .
- Walk with confidence; the bad guys will recognize this and will choose another more likely victim.
- Don’t interact with strangers.
- Go out in groups.
- Remain in well-lit areas and avoid zones that have been established as particularly risky.
- If you have a Gold Card, ask the credit card company to make it another color.
- Be aware of people around you.
- Comply with the assailants’ demands.
- Do not stop to help anyone who seems to be in need; assailants often use babies and children as decoys to capture the attention of potential victims – I believe his advice was NEVER to help anyone, even if you see a woman with a crying baby. His exact words were, “It’s not your baby; it’s not your problem.”
Communications
- Memorize a few key telephone numbers; do not over-rely on your cellular telephone
- Keep a public phone calling card with you.
- Avoid saving telephone numbers on your cellular telephone with nicknames that indicate personal relationships such as Mom, Hubby, etc.
- Save telephone numbers on your cellular telephone with the person’s first name and first initial of their last name only.
- Do not go to the Shell gas station by the Mormon Church on Vista Hermosa.
- Keep your cellular phone charged.
- Store key emergency telephone response numbers on speed dial on your cellular telephone.
Driving in Your Car
- Get into and out of your car as quickly as possible.
- Know alternate routes to and from work and your home.
- Check around your car when you enter and leave your home.
- Keep your windows rolled up and your doors locked.
- When possible, park backwards so that you can pull out more quickly if necessary.
- If a gun is pointed at your window, do not lower the window, but rather crash your car into the car in front of you.
- If a car abruptly stops in front of you and/or attempts to corner you, crash into the car (this is a method used by armed gunmen who are interested in "express kidnapping" you - ie. take you to a cash machine to withdraw as much as you can from your cash card.)
- Store any objects of value out of sight from the window (in the trunk or under a jacket.)
- Check to make sure your car is empty before getting in.
- If you can see the back right tire of the car in front of you on the asphalt, then you can pull into another lane without hitting the car.
- Do NOT stop to purchase anything from vendors in the streets (newspapers, telephone cards, flowers, etc.)
- If you are in an accident, stay in the car and call someone reliable to help you.
- Avoid driving near two men riding on a motorcycle – I believe he also said not to hesitate in running them over to get them out of your way.
- If you feel that you are being followed, continue to drive in public places, try to lose the car by speeding up and slowing down and turning corners and observing through your rear view mirror. Do not go to your destination. Call someone reliable and describe exactly where you are located and the kind of car that is following you.
- If being followed, go to a gas station. Typically they are very well lit and have security systems (except the one near the Mormon church.)
At the Airport
- NEVER rent a car from the airport’s rental agency – one of the scams is an employee calls people who specialize in “express kidnapping” and gives them all of the information on the car you are driving, so you are an easy target.
- Do not wait for people with signs indicating the name of the school or their names.
- Never accept help to manage your bags for a fee.
- Try to avoid taking a cab from the airport. If you must, call a yellow cab, or “Taxi Amarillo” at 2332-1515. Program this number in your phone.
- Do not wait for passengers to exit from airport terminal while waiting in your car at the curb. - Instead, park inside of the parking garage at the airport. This way they cannot link you, your passengers, bags, valuables and your car.)
Key concepts to remember
- These crimes are not personal; they are a business. If you are savvy and make it more complicated for the criminal, they will seek another victim.
- Use the element of surprise you in your favor.
- Make advance plans for all eventualities.
- Think about what could happen as a result of the loss of your information (i.e. data bases, telephone numbers, personal information, etc.) How can you protect this information in advance?