Is anyone Guatemalan or familiar with the culture there?

Question

My father was an American living and teaching in beautiful Guatemala.He met a Guatemalan woman there and they had 2 children, one of which I've never met.He died unexpectedly of a heart attack 2/17/03 in Guatemala City and,according to his Catholic wife,was buried the same day in a mausoleum.She told me that it is common procedure in that country to bury the dead quickly because of the heat, humidity, etc. I don't know my stepmother very well and she claims there is no death certificate or any other proof on file anywhere but I really need some documentation for closure.I was an only child raised by my widower father, we were very close and I never got to say goodbye.The 4year anniversary of his death is approaching and I still haven't even accepted that he is dead.I want some proof;a death certificate, a coroner's report, even a report from the cemetary will do.I'm desperate and heart-broken.What can I do?Are there laws about this in Guatemala?It could have even been foul-play. HELP!

Answer 1

Guatemala is one of the most bureaucratic countires I have done buisness in.  They abolsutely have a death certificate.  Please research the town and any contacts from teaching he would have had there.  Also, you may want to contact a lawyer in Guatemala City to do the work and investigate for you.  It may be cheaper to do than flying down yourself.  The sooner you start it, the better.  The fact that she says there is no death certificate is very suspicious.  What has happened to his estate and assets in the US?

Answer 2

I lived in Honduras for a while and it is common practice to bury the dead very quickly. The next day at the latest. I can't imagine they wouldn't issue a death certificate, though. I'm not sure exactly what they do in Guatemala but I would be suspicious of things if they didn't issue one.

Answer 3

The US embassy should have some record of US citizens dying in Guatemala. Their web page dealing with the death of US citizens in Guatemala is http://guatemala.usembassy.gov/acs_death...