Why so many contradictions on wether its safe? they consider it the safest but yet they have serious crime?

Question

Violent crime in Managua and other cities occurs. Street crime such as pickpocketing and purse snatching is common. An increase in street crime is often noted during the month of December. Remain alert when walking in markets (e.g. Mercado Oriental), in the vicinity of the old cathedral in Managua, near Tica Bus (bus terminal of buses coming from Honduras and Costa Rica), at public transportation terminals, and in poorer areas. Exercise common sense at all times. Ensure personal belongings, passports and other travel documents are secure at all times. Visitors should carry a photocopy of the identification page of their passport and entry stamp (received upon arrival) with them, and keep the original in a secure place. Do not carry large sums of money, especially while travelling on buses. Purse, backpack, and jewellery snatching occurs while vehicles are stopped at intersections and while pedestrians are walking on the street.

Demonstrations, protests, marches, and strikes, some

Answer 1

i found this on the internet:

Managua, Nicaragua

epicenter of crime in Nicaragua

experienced rising levels of violence and criminality throughout 1990s

40% of all crimes in Nicaragua committed in Managua – half of these reported crimes considered violent

nature of violence and violent crime shifts from political violence and civil war to crime and delinquency

Pandillas – youth gangs – in Managua

now a prevalent and widespread phenomenon – growing rapidly

currently more than 110 pandillas with approximately 8,000 members  

concentrated in lower-class barrios – poverty and lack of opportunity drive membership  

territorially based in specific neighbourhoods

defend territory as a source of identity and pride



Lower class barrio in Managua

Pandillas commit variety of crime, often employing firearms

responsible for disproportionate share of criminal activity

commit 50% of all crimes in Nicaragua and 60% of all crimes in Managua  

violence and gang warfare prevalent

robbery, mugging, pick-pocketing and involvement in

drug trade among other criminal activities

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/focus/youth_gu...

and this one:

Crime rates in Nicaragua have increased steadily over the past few years. In Managua in particular, street crime is common and economically driven violent crime is on the rise. During March and April of this year the following incidents occurred.

Hotel Robberies

On March 29, an American couple in Grenada were robbed at gunpoint in their rental home. A few days prior to the incident the couple had notified the management of a missing light fixture in the unit. At approximately 11:30 a.m. on the day of the burglary, a Nicaraguan male in his late 20s (suspect) appeared at the front gate of the property stating that he was there to replace the light. The victim escorted the individual inside, where they inspected the fixture. The victim then began to escort the suspect outside to retrieve his tools. As they neared the front door, the suspect stopped and displayed what the victim described as a .25 caliber or similar type automatic pistol and demanded money. The suspect took the victim’s wallet, extracted all of the currency and then, at the request of the victim, returned the wallet containing the victim’s identification. The suspect then departed the area on foot.

On April 4, 17 members of a U.S. missionary group were robbed at gunpoint while eating dinner at their hotel in Managua. The group was housed at a locally-owned hotel located in a transitional area not typically frequented by tourists. Four Nicaraguan males, including two armed with handguns, entered the dining area and took the group’s cell phones and cash. Two of the suspects then escorted members of the group to their hotel rooms where they took digital cameras, additional cash and iPods. The robbery lasted for approximately one hour, during which a hotel employee was able to flee and call the Nicaraguan National Police (NNP). They did not arrive, however, until after the suspects had departed. None of the victims were physically injured.

RSO Managua strongly recommends all visitors to Nicaragua utilize hotels and guest houses that have a front desk or concierge that is staffed 24 hours a day; full-time uniformed security; access control precautions; a fenced perimeter and a well lit and patrolled parking area; and rooms equipped with safes for valuables and travel documents.

Vehicular Break-Ins

In the early evening on April 21, a vehicle belonging to an American organization was broken into at a gas station in Managua. The vehicle had stopped at a gas station on Carretera Sur (South Highway), approximately two miles from U.S. Embassy Managua. When exiting the vehicle to make a purchase in the station store, a young Nicaraguan male approached the driver and offered to watch the vehicle for a fee. This offer was accepted and the vehicle's occupants entered the gas station. Upon exiting the station, they found that the individual who had offered to watch the vehicle was gone and that the rear passenger door window had been broken. A briefcase containing files and identification documents was also missing from the rear seat. The individual who had offered to watch the vehicle eventually returned to the scene. The NNP took him in for investigative purposes but were unable to confirm his direct involvement in the burglary.

RSO Managua recommends that travelers not leave valuables where they can be seen in parked vehicles and, when possible, park in a location where the vehicle can be monitored.

Estancia de Santo Domingo

Shortly after sunrise on April 5, a local resident was walking alone in Estancia de Santo Domingo, an affluent residential neighborhood in Managua where many expatriates reside, when he was surprised from behind by two subjects. One of the assailants held a gun to the victim’s head and the other told him not to turn around while they took his money and belongings. Before releasing the victim, the assailants told him to walk forward and not to turn around or they would shoot him. He complied and walked as instructed for five minutes until he encountered an embassy security patrol vehicle in the area. The incident took place during the Semana Santa holiday, when many residents travel away from Managua on vacation. The NNP detail a large number of personnel to the vacation areas at this time, reducing the police presence in the city.

On April 22 at approximately 12:30 a.m., an American was returning to his residence in Estancia de Santo Domingo. As he entered the neighborhood, he observed a group of approximately 25 teenagers in the street. The crowd was gathered around two Nicaraguan males engaged in a physical altercation, both apparently under the influence of alcohol or drugs. At least one individual in the crowd held a machete.

https://www.osac.gov/Reports/report.cfm?...