During the civil war, Guatemala's military government was responsible for the death of at least 100,000 of its own citizens. Many of those killed were peasants and workers in rural areas whom the government suspected of supporting the insurgency. Now, although a civilian government is in power, the culture of violence lingers. Analysts say that years of political killings underlie the barbarity of today's urban crime. However, the motive now is usually gang members' enrichment.
Assaults occur on the streets, on buses, in shopping centres and even in restaurants.
For frightened city residents, nowhere seems safe anymore. But police officers say they do not have enough agents or other resources to combat the problem. There's nothing more we can do. Citizens have responded by stockpiling weapons to defend themselves. The Department for the Control of Arms and Munitions has issued gun licenses to 300,000 Guatemalans for self-defence purposes.