Guatemala is an unmissable experience for those who love architecture and archaeology. This Central American country is full of treasures and beautiful landmarks that will take you back in time. Majestic jungles, glorious cathedrals, Mayan cities and ancient traditions come together in Guatemala to offer a diverse adventure to visitors. However, if you go to Guatemala or if you live there, it is important to take into consideration the issues that have an impact on the country’s freedom. Unfortunately, corruption and organized crime affect the stability of the government and the press is controlled by a monopoly. Journalist who dare to tackle corruption and criminal groups face threats and attacks, which has lead to self-censorship.
Currently, Guatemala is ranked as Partly Free by the Freedom House and their report highlights the dangers that journalists face in the country when covering issues like corruption, drug trafficking, human rights violation and organized crime. In addition, government officers have been investigated for spying on journalists, human right activists, business owners and politicians, without any legal basis. Although freedom of expression is protected under the constitution, the attacks on journalists and certain laws that impose restrictions over the content that is published by media outlets and independent authors, have created a significant impact on the press. There are strict laws that target slander, as well as laws that aim to prevent journalists from publishing information that could cause confusion or concern to the general public, in the event of a state of siege being declared by the government.
Although the government has taken steps to develop the country’s telecommunications infrastructure, less than 27% of the population in Guatemala uses the internet. Even with the limited access to the internet in Guatemala and while there is no confirmed evidence of Internet filtering, the government is likely to implement online surveillance methods that compromise privacy. Bloggers, online newspapers and users who often post on social media about political and social topics may become a target. This is why it is crucial that internet users in Guatemala look for ways to protects their privacy and reclaim their freedom of expression. One of the most convenient solutions to achieve this is to use a VPN service.
Advantages of using a VPN in Guatemala
With a VPN service it is possible to protect your privacy and add a strong layer of security to your internet traffic. When you use a VPN service, all your online activities are secured with encryption. This means that even if someone tries to monitor what you do on the internet, all they will be able to see is scrambled data. Another way in which a VPN helps to protect your privacy is by changing your IP address. If someone tries to trace you, they could use the IP address to find your location and Internet Service Provider. When you connect to a VPN server, others only see the IP address of the VPN, while your real IP address remains hidden. Another advantage of using a VPN is that you can connect to servers in different countries to get access to content that is not available in Guatemala. You can choose one of the below VPN services to enjoy online freedom and privacy in Guatemala.
NordVPN
Based in Panama, NordVPN is an excellent choice for users who are mainly concerned about protecting their identity and security when they connect to the internet. NordVPN has a strong commitment to protect your privacy and this is demonstrated by the fact that it doesn’t keep any logs whatsoever. In addition, it offers features that will take your security to the next level. You can enjoy double encryption and Tor over VPN, which add a strong layer of protection for your privacy. NordVPN has servers in over 60 countries and allow up to 6 simultaneous connections.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is an effective solution to protect the privacy of your internet traffic and to bypass restrictions, thanks to its advanced network of ultra-fast servers. Currnetly, they have servers in 94 countries, including Guatemala. ExpressVPN allows up to 3 simultaneous connections and it uses strong encryption to protect your online traffic. In order to give you privacy, ExpressVPN doesn’t keep logs of your online activities. The service is also known for its impressive speeds and the high quality of the software that it offers.While it is not one of the cheapest options, the wide selection of features and the overall good quality that it offers, make it one of the best options available.
PureVPN
Hong Kong is one of the safest places for online freedom and PureVPN is based there, which allows it to offer a versatile and reliable service. PureVPN has over 750 servers in 141 countries, including Guatemala. If you wish to keep an IP address from Guatemala while you are navigating the internet, you can connect to a server located there. PureVPN also offers a great selection of features that will help you to bypass restrictions, without putting your privacy at risk. PureVPN lets you to connect up to five devices at the same time and it doesn’t keep logs of your online activities.
