Rio Dulce Robbery/Murder

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Hope there is a death penalty down there in the jungle and hope the culprits gets caugth and executed.

If you have ever seen their prisons, and I have not personally, one might welcome the death penalty.

[witzgall]

Let's hope the government realizes how many Tourist dollars are at stake here, and work to put a stop to this very, very quickly.

Chris

[AnchorageGuy]

the government is very aware of the implications and I can almost guarantee they are putting a great deal of effort and resources into their investigation. I would not be surprised if these individuals are not either caught very soon, or they have already fled the country knowing everyone is looking for them. All of the locals will have very little sympathy for them and they will be turned in by anyone that knows who they are.

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by witzgall

Let's hope the government realizes how many Tourist dollars are at stake here, and work to put a stop to this very, very quickly.

Chris

By all means whatever pressures are needed to prod the authorities into finding these people, it is just sad to me to think it has to be because it might impact income and not because a life was lost.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by witzgall

Let's hope the government realizes how many Tourist dollars are at stake here, and work to put a stop to this very, very quickly.
Chris

From: More trouble on the Rio @ clinging to the wreckage

“The river is crawling, and I mean that literally looking at the extremely slow speeds they do, with Naval vessels.Patrolling up and down outside the marinas. A show of support I guess.

Sadly they were not in the right place last night when a group of three boats were attacked downriver near to the Hot Springs. The report that was given over the Cruiser's VHF net this morning was a little confused...”

[witzgall]

I am wondering out loud if using DSC with GPS's hooked up would help in this matter. Imagine a coordinated effort between the Navy, monitoring DSC, and the cruising community having their MMSI # and VHF/GPS setup ready to go.

Has this ever been used to successfully help with "Neighborhood watches"?

Chris

[GordMay]

I’d think that a radio call specifying a verbal description, such as “I’m just (xx dist.) off Monkey Bay Marina” would be more readily understood than a precise Lat Lon position.

[Pelagic]

“As I am typing this a report has just come over the radio of three outboard engines having been stolen last night just across the river. Not from cruisers this time but from locals. Mmn that's got my antennae up I can tell you! All this going on right under the noses of the authorities makes you ask yourself some fundamental questions.”

That unfortunately is the way is some countries where those in power…just take! …. And then make a show of protecting the victims.

Also, if there is some political unrest happening in that area.... as a cruiser, it would be time to get out of Dodge.

[Roy M]

Next to my bunk are two switches. The first turns on the spreaderlights, bow spot light and stern work light, all of them high intensity discharge lamps, capable of turning night into daylight. The second does the same, with the additional threat of sounding the high decibel alarm sirens and strobe light. Bad guys don't like others to know that they are at work.

The second line of defense is tactical weaponry, unrestricted, as far as I know, in third world nations, as of the moment. These include bear spray mace (available at mountaineering stores), air tasers (you need to get registered in your home country), and flare guns with red rocket flares. Ranges on these are under thirty feet and reserved should the bad guys disregard lights and noise.

Further levels of defense are pretty limited, but not out of the question, given the unknown motivations on folks who may penetrate the first two levels of security. You takes your chances and makes your choices.

[schoonerdog]

The rio has had these things happening for several years now and the general rule is to stay in a marina and pay the dirt cheap cost of having an armed guard. The marinas have been completely safe.

[AnchorageGuy]

This just in from our friends that are there now.

You can read about the capture at riodulcechisme.com - Home and you have to page down to the lower end of the page. There seems to be a formatting problem. Apparently in their haste to get the news out they had a formatting problem.

The local police arrested two men today in connection with the murder of a man and attack on his wife, plus the robbery on three other sailboats on the Rio Dulce, Guatemala. It sounds like they were connected to a cocaine ring and thank god they were arrested. The woman at the top of the food chain who was protecting these men was killed as was her 14 year old son early today. According to news reports, she was mafia and part of the cocaine scene here in Fronteras, Guatemala. There were reports of about 40 local policemen boarding launchas and converging on a small village called Esmarelda which is located behind Mario's Marina (where out boat used to be). House to house searches were performed and evidence from the murder of the Alaskan couple were found on the premises of one of the homes. Two brothers, aged 19 and 33 were arrested.

There are so many boats coming in to the Rio Dulce as a safe hurricane hole and these five me were taking advantage of the situation. There are three men still at large, but we bet they are very nervous right now. People who have been here for a while say that either they will "disappear" or will be appended soon if the two in custody rat them out. More news to follow...Local justice is being practiced here. It is not like being at home. Things are handled differently here.

[AnchorageGuy]

Additional reports state the second pair were shot and killed in a small town not far from Fronteras. Case closed Rio Dulce style. These folks just will not tolerate this and their idea of justice is swift and final and made to send a message to everyone else.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Chuck Baier

Additional reports state the second pair were shot and killed in a small town not far from Fronteras. Case closed Rio Dulce style. These folks just will not tolerate this and their idea of justice is swift and final and made to send a message to everyone else.

Some of this could be used hereabouts!

[stevensc]

Bear Repellent Pepper Spray
This is an interesting site with lots of security and alarm systems, there is quite a selection of non-lethal deterrents.
Steve

[Maren]

This likely will not be of interest to most people as it has more to do building a giant trimaran in the jungle adjacent to the Rio Dolce in 80's. But you can see how the area has changed over the years. And if you whack off the last part of the URL you get the Rio Dolce information site.

The building of Mark Hassall's Searunner named That