During these troubled times, did you consider sending your relatives plane tickets to the nicest place you can think of in Free America?

Here is the current State Department Report -

CRIME: Guatemala has one of the highest violent crime rates in Latin America. In the first seven months of 2011, approximately 42 murders a week were reported in Guatemala City alone. While the vast majority of murders do not involve foreigners, the sheer volume of activity means that local officials, who are inexperienced and underpaid, are unable to cope with the problem. Rule of law is lacking as the judicial system is weak, overworked, and inefficient. Well-armed criminals know there is little chance they will be caught or punished.

The number of violent crimes reported by U.S. citizens and other foreigners has remained high and incidents have included, but are not limited to, assault, theft, armed robbery, carjacking, rape, kidnapping, and murder, even in areas once considered safe such as zones 10, 14, and 15 in the capital. To decrease the likelihood of becoming a victim, do not display items of value, such as laptops, iPods, cameras, and jewelry and refrain from using a cellphone on the street. The Embassy discourages carrying large sums of money. Do not resist if you are being robbed. Victims have been killed when they resisted attack or refused to give up their money or other valuables. Assailants are often armed with guns and do not hesitate to use them if you resist.

Gangs are a growing concern in both Guatemala City and rural Guatemala. Gang members are often well armed with sophisticated weaponry and they sometimes use massive amounts of force. Emboldened armed robbers have attacked vehicles on main roads in broad daylight. Travel on rural roads increases the risk of being stopped by a criminal roadblock or ambush. Widespread narcotics and alien-smuggling activities make remote areas especially dangerous. However, there is no evidence that U.S. citizens are specifically targeted. Criminals look for every opportunity to attack, so all travelers should remain constantly vigilant.

U.S. Embassy personnel observe heightened security precautions in Guatemala City and throughout the country. Rather than traveling alone, use a reputable tour organization. Stay in groups, travel in a caravan consisting of two or more vehicles, and stay on the main roads. Ensure that someone not traveling with you is aware of your itinerary. Avoid hotels that do not have adequate security. Intercity travel after dark anywhere in Guatemala is extremely dangerous and should be avoided altogether. It is preferable to stay in the main tourist destinations. Pay close attention to your surroundings, especially when walking or driving in Guatemala City.

A number of travelers have experienced carjackings and armed robberies after just having arrived on international flights, most frequently in the evening. In the most common scenario, tourists or business travelers who land at the airport after dark are held up by armed men as their vehicle departs the airport, but similar incidents have occurred at other times of the day. Private vehicles, taxis and shuttle buses have all been targeted. Typically, the assailants steal money, passports, and luggage, and in some but not all cases, the assailants steal the vehicle as well. Recently, many of these attacks have taken place far from the airport, just as travelers were arriving at their homes, or in less busy areas of the city. Victims who did not resist the attackers were not physically injured. If you need to get a taxi upon arrival (particularly in the evening) call the Guatemalan tourist assistance agency, PROATUR, dial 1500 and they can call a radiotaxi to pick you up at the airport. Coordinate arrival times with those picking up passengers, minimize time spent standing outside in the airport passenger pick-up area, and do not walk out of the airport with valuables in plain sight. Laptops are frequently targeted, so carry them inconspicuously in a backpack or other carry-on luggage. In some cases, assailants have been wearing full or partial police uniforms and have used vehicles that resemble police vehicles, indicating that some elements of the police might be involved. Armed robberies have occurred within minutes of a tourist's vehicle having been stopped by the police.

psst, hey ponder. he's going to nicaragua, not guatemala.