Murder rate falls again in Guatemala

THE murder rate fell in Guatemala for the third successive year, the government announced yesterday.

By The Newsroom

Published 3rd Jan 2013, 00:00 BST

Last year, there were 5,174 murders, down 8.9 per cent on 2011, a fall the government links to a drive to clampdown on gang-related crime.

Guatemala, which has a population of only 15 million, has been battling violent crime for over a decade, with murders peaking at 6,498 in 2009.