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guatemala Guatemala v.2026-05-14

Guatemala travel warnings: what official governments say right now

  • Article
  • updated 2026-05-14

Official travel advisories for Guatemala: 1 governments say do not travel, 5 say avoid non-essential travel, and 4 publish caution-level advice.

Official governments are warning on Guatemala: 1 do-not-travel source vote, 5 non-essential-travel source votes, and 4 caution source votes. For a backpacker, that means the route needs a serious rethink, especially if it crosses the places named in the warnings.

Different governments use different labels, but HostelPunk normalizes them into do_not, reconsider, and caution so the risk pattern is easier to compare across sources.

What the official warnings say

The batch contains 10 official sources for Guatemala, with 1 do not travel warning item, 5 avoid non-essential travel warning items, and 21 use heightened caution warning items. Across the provided official items, the pattern is do not travel items from Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, avoid non-essential travel items from Global Affairs Canada, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, plus 2 more, and caution items from Global Affairs Canada, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale, plus 4 more.

The severe side of the file is 6 source votes and 6 warning items in do_not or reconsider.

Official warning list

Snapshot from official government travel-advisory sources checked by HostelPunk. Bands are normalized as do_not, reconsider, and caution; native government severity labels are preserved where available.

  • Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (do_not; native: regional — Von Reisen ins gesamte Grenzgebiet zu Mexiko wird abgeraten; updated 2026-04-08; checked 2026-05-14): FDFA travel advice for Guatemala. The FDFA advises against travel to/in entire border area with Mexiko. The current FDFA update note was published on 2026-04-08.
  • Global Affairs Canada (reconsider; native: Avoid non-essential travel; updated 2026-05-04; checked 2026-05-14): Guatemala: Regional advisories - Avoid non-essential travel. Avoid non-essential travel to the following areas due to very high levels of violent crime: Within Guatemala City: Zone 1 Zone 3 Zones 5–7 Zone 18 Zone 21 The following municipalities: in Guatemala Department: San Pedro Ayampuc Villa Canales in Escuintla Department: San José Siquinilá Tiquisate Border crossings on the following highways: CA-01: La Mesilla border with Mexico San Cristobal border with El Salvador CA-0...
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (reconsider; native: レベル２：不要不急の渡航は止めてください。《継続》; updated 2026-04-28; checked 2026-05-14): Guatemala: レベル２：不要不急の渡航は止めてください。《継続》. Japan MOFA keeps Guatemala in the listed area at レベル２：不要不急の渡航は止めてください。《継続》; travelers should avoid non-essential travel. The update notes cite ongoing security risks and advise travelers to monitor reliable information and take sufficient safety measures.
  • Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (reconsider; native: FCDO advises against all but essential travel; updated 2026-04-16; checked 2026-05-14): Guatemala: FCDO advises against all but essential travel. Areas where FCDO advises against all but essential travel FCDO advises against all but essential travel to: within 5km of the Mexican border from the Pacific Coast up to and including the Gracias a Dios crossing to the towns of Santa Ana Huista, San Antonio Huista and La Democracia in the department of Huehuetenango Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel to these areas.
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (reconsider; native: Exercise increased caution; Avoid non-essential travel; updated 2024-11-28; checked 2026-05-14): Guatemala: Exercise increased caution. Exercise increased caution in Guatemala due to violent crime and civil unrest (level 2 of 4). Avoid non-essential travel to the following areas due to violent crime (level 3 of 4):.
  • Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Union Europea y Cooperacion (reconsider; native: SE RECOMIENDA VIAJAR CON EXTREMA PRECAUCION Y ABSTENERSE DE HACERLO POR DETERMINADAS ZONAS.; checked 2026-05-14): Guatemala: extreme caution and avoid certain zones. Spain recommends travel with extreme caution and avoiding certain zones in Guatemala. It warns about increased card cloning, assaults on volcano hikes, and attacks on tourists along the CA-2/Costa Azul road from Escuintla to the Mexico border at Tecún Umán.
  • Global Affairs Canada (caution; native: Exercise a high degree of caution; updated 2026-05-04; checked 2026-05-14): Guatemala - Exercise a high degree of caution. Exercise a high degree of caution in Guatemala due to high levels of crime roadblocks and demonstrations that occur throughout the country.
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (caution; native: レベル１：十分注意してください。《継続》; updated 2026-04-28; checked 2026-05-14): Guatemala: レベル１：十分注意してください。《継続》. Japan MOFA keeps Guatemala in the listed area at レベル１：十分注意してください。《継続》; travelers should exercise a high degree of caution. The update notes cite ongoing security risks and advise travelers to monitor reliable information and take sufficient safety measures.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: ultimaora - GUATEMALA: stato di prevenzione - aggiornamento.; updated 2026-04-22; checked 2026-05-14): GUATEMALA: stato di prevenzione - aggiornamento.. Official Viaggiare Sicuri current update for Guatemala: travel advisory. It concerns a current operational or security development. Travelers are told to avoid the affected area or activity and follow local instructions.
  • Department of Foreign Affairs (caution; native: High Degree of Caution; updated 2026-04-17; checked 2026-05-14): Ireland DFA: High caution - Guatemala. Ireland DFA currently rates Guatemala as High Degree of Caution. We advise a high degree of caution while crossing Guatemala’s land borders.
  • Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (caution; native: Current FCDO warning; updated 2026-04-16; checked 2026-05-14): Guatemala: State of Prevention. State of Prevention On 6 April 2026, Guatemalan authorities announced a 15-day State of Prevention in the departments of Guatemala (City), Sacatepéquez, Escuintla, Petén, Izabal, San Marcos, and Huehuetenango. Under this measure, the Government can restrict outdoor gatherings, public demonstrations, and other public events, and disperse these by force in the event of outbreaks of violence.
  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (caution; native: Exercise a high degree of caution; updated 2026-03-05; checked 2026-05-14): Smartraveller advisory for Guatemala: Exercise a high degree of caution. Australia Smartraveller lists Guatemala at "Exercise a high degree of caution" on its current destinations index. The destination entry was updated on 2026-03-05.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Coban in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Vulcano Pacaya in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Vulcano Fuego in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Dipartimento di Izabal in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to crime and armed conflict. Travelers are told to avoid the affected area or activity and follow local instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Dipartimento di Peten in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to crime and armed conflict. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Guatemala in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to border risk. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Città del Guatemala in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to crime. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Dipartimento di Santa Rosa in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Vulcano Santiaguito in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Dipartimento di San Marcos-Ixchiguan in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to crime and armed conflict. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Dipartimento di Huehuetenango in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to crime and armed conflict. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Vulcano Acatenango in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Dipartimento di San Marcos-Tajumulco in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to crime and armed conflict. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (caution; native: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-17; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Dipartimento di Alta Verapaz in Guatemala for above-baseline travel caution due to crime and armed conflict. Travelers are told to avoid the affected area or activity and follow local instructions.
  • Ministere de l'Europe et des Affaires etrangeres (caution; native: Dernières minutes; checked 2026-05-14): Guatemala - Appel à la vigilance – « État de prévention » prolongé. France Diplomatie has an active 'Dernières minutes' update for Guatemala, titled 'Appel à la vigilance – « État de prévention » prolongé'. The update concerns a current travel-advice update; the original French excerpt is included for exact official wording.