Is Nicaragua Safe?
Mike Cobb - ECI Development
Posted January 19, 2014
Victoria Kuhl
Posted February 19, 2014
Darrell Bushnell
It is a topic much discussed by us here and there are many different opinions and a lot of it depends on where you lived previously.
It is well documented that Nicaragua is probably the safest of the Central American countries and probably more so than much of South America. Still, this is a third world country and many crimes are not documented often because it occurs to tourists who tend to write it off as a bad experience and just leave or absorb the losses. No one wants...
It is a topic much discussed by us here and there are many different opinions and a lot of it depends on where you lived previously.
It is well documented that Nicaragua is probably the safest of the Central American countries and probably more so than much of South America. Still, this is a third world country and many crimes are not documented often because it occurs to tourists who tend to write it off as a bad experience and just leave or absorb the losses. No one wants to spend their vacation in a police station making a report.
What is safety? Is your safety affected by your camera or IPhone being stolen or your home being robbed? Of course it is. How much harm will the robber or mugger do to get your valuables? You really don’t know but you are not feeling safe while being confronted by someone with a knife or just finding a stranger in your home. So most crimes do affect your feeling of safety.
There are few violent crimes in Nicaragua which is surprising considering the poverty that is present. Petty theft is rampant but most of it is by opportunity. You cannot lay down your camera or computer on a restaurant table and look away. It will often be gone immediately. There are certain times of the year when items are not even safe in your pocket such as during the August Hipica bull runs. Almost always when there are large crowds in Granada and the crowd surges around you, I will feel hands in my pockets but we know this and usually leave everything at home. I had to lose my phone before I learned this lesson. We have seen whole tour groups lose all of their phones and other items while running from the bulls. In Granada we usually say the pickpockets and thieves are from Managua but who knows?
In the eight years of living here, Amy and I have never been mugged, robbed or had someone illegally enter our home. We may have been just lucky and we do have our own rules. We don’t drive at night if at all possible, we don’t leave our vehicle on the streets overnight and if dark, we take a taxi. Do not wear flashy jewelry and if by yourself, do not pull out your $600 IPhone and make a call or take a photo. That is six month’s salary for many of the people here assuming they have a job. We have agreed that if we were approached by one or more undesirables we would immediately run in different directions. Part of that reasoning is that I believe I am still faster than Amy. Like running from a bear, you do not have to be the fastest but you cannot be the slowest.
In working with the police, I am well aware of the crimes that occur in the area. We have had friends, associates and tourists mugged by young people with knives and machetes. We had a bad rape case here a few months ago and there have been a few home invasions. You always need to be vigilant but we feel reasonably safe here when using precautions. I grew up on a farm in Illinois where crime was so rare it would make headlines. Besides, who would rob a farmer when it was well known he had several rifles and shotguns. Yes, we never locked the home or the car but that was long ago. Is it as safe in Granada as back on my farm in Illinois? Of course not. Everything is different these days.
The police of Granada do a reasonably good job here though the judicial system is very weak. What this means is that the police usually catch the bad guy but the bad guys are often released for nebulous reasons. Most expats are very wealthy compared to the locals which makes it difficult for some criminals to understand what the problem is. For example, we had one home robber caught by the police and couldn’t believe charges were being pressed when the expat would be replacing the stolen items within days. To the robber, he was going to jail for a minor inconvenience to the victim. Besides, people from North America and Europe have a stronger conviction to private property than many people that live here. We really have difficulty understanding the local feelings towards some non-violent crimes. There are bars on the doors and windows of all homes in Granada. You really did not think they were there for decoration, did you?
If you are unfortunate enough to be a victim, always notify the police and fill out the report. We can’t catch the bad guys without the crime being reported. That is like not voting then complaining about the politician.
It should be mentioned about rental cars here. Recently they have been targeted by entrepreneurial thieves and often couples. Everyone can recognize a rental car by its stickers and other ID. A common ploy is to stab the tire to create a flat. When the driver discovers the flat, one of the robbers will offer to help change the tire while the other is stealing your belongings. Some of the police around Managua also target the rental drivers by asking for ticket payoffs for some bogus violation knowing the driver will probably pay rather than stick around to pay the fine.
So what should you do to feel safe? Like I said before, we feel reasonably safe but always be aware of your surroundings. At the extreme, you can always live in a gated community. A lot of expats put down the gated communities stating they are not really living the Nicaraguan experience which is mostly BS. If you can afford that life and it suits you then go for it. It has many advantages such as locking up your home and going away for several months and no bars on the windows and doors.
I think being with friends or having a dog is one of the cheapest forms of protection but then, I like dogs. I’m not aware of too many attack cats and doubt they would bother if they could. Far more expats have guns than the locals but you must be a resident to own a firearm. I grew up with guns but have shied away from them as the world got more crowded. It seems that some of my friends and associates that have guns here have more incidents than those without. They will now tell me the stories of when their pistol saved their lives or scared away the criminals. Having said that, when we move to the country I will probably purchase a pistol that I will fire into the air periodically just to let everyone know I have it. Not sure I could bring myself to shoot a robber but I could certainly put the fear of God in him.
For protection of homes, many people put concertina wire on their walls and roofs though we are not into the Berlin Wall look. It really does not stop any criminals though it will stop kids. Among the locals it is more of a status symbol than a deterrent. Some people have put up electrical fences but it would seem to me pretty easy to circumvent but few of the robbers are very professional. Why aren’t there more female criminals? Is it a macho thing or is it difficult to pick the right outfit to wear when robbing a home? Perhaps running from the scene of a crime in heels presents problems.
The last advice worth stating is to have good neighbors and include police in your circle of friends. They will protect you and help you in time of need. To rob most homes, a thief would probably need to cross a neighbor’s property or roof to get to you. There are many stories when the neighbors got together to catch a criminal.
So, be safe and be vigilant.
Posted April 18, 2014
Lucy Valenti - Liv Nicaragua
Posted April 24, 2014
Jan Reynolds
Posted July 9, 2014
Evan Sweeney
Posted July 18, 2014
Jeffrey Soderlind - Horizon Group
Posted August 17, 2014
Tanya Hartill - NicaTour Group
I've hopped on Nicaraguan buses, I've zigzagged across the country, and I've taken taxis in Nicaragua, alone, and I've never had a problem. There is petty crime all over the world, so I always try to use my common sense when I travel anywhere, be it in Nicaragua or even my in my home country. So far, I've had more problems in Canada. My parents had...
I've hopped on Nicaraguan buses, I've zigzagged across the country, and I've taken taxis in Nicaragua, alone, and I've never had a problem. There is petty crime all over the world, so I always try to use my common sense when I travel anywhere, be it in Nicaragua or even my in my home country. So far, I've had more problems in Canada. My parents had their house broken into and my car was broken into in Canada. I've never had those problems in Nicaragua.
I'm a female and often travel by myself. I've never gone out at night, alone, anywhere in the world, but I have been out at nighttime in the streets of Nicaragua, and I've never had a problem.
When people ask me if Nicaragua is safe I say, "Yes." You just have to remember that when you’re in a foreign country, you have to be smart and safe.
Posted August 26, 2014
Darrell Bushnell
Posted October 30, 2014
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