Safety stays a main concern for Americans going overseas, particularly within the present geopolitical local weather, the place security warnings are issued with little to no warning, and wars are erupting left, proper, and middle.
It could not precisely be a battlefield in the intervening time, however Latin America has by no means been precisely identified for being essentially the most secure of areas.
Between rampant widespread corruption and higher-than-average crime charges, touring round LatAm requires additional warning. That being mentioned, there are a handful of nations the place security issues are much less pronounced:
An apparent instance is Argentina, which has, for a lot of a long time now, been thought-about a protected haven within the Global South—however this isn’t one other regurgitated story on Buenos Aires’ European aptitude.
According to a brand new report by Global Citizen Solutions, the most secure nation in Latin America shouldn’t be the birthplace of tango, however Uruguay, a a lot smaller neighboring nation that often gets overlooked by vacationers:
Uruguay Crowned Safest Country In LatAm
Before we delve deeper into a number of the causes why Uruguay is so protected, let’s first check out the methodology used.
In order to rank the most secure international locations in LatAm, Global Citizen Solutions analyzed security information from quite a few sources, native crime statistics, and official journey advisories, resembling these issued by the U.S. Department of State, to get to the broader, most correct image attainable.
In this, the Global Peace Index (GPI) was notably related, because it measures the degrees of peace, political stability, and societal security, together with crime charges, notably because it pertains to violent crime and petty theft in main city facilities.
Then, political stability was taken under consideration, together with the chance for potential civil unrest, a difficulty that, every so often, impacts tourism in international locations like Peru and Ecuador.
Lastly, in addition they appeared on the institution of expat communities. As they acknowledged, international locations with a longtime presence of foreigners, and notably Americans, have a tendency to supply ‘enhanced security measures‘ and higher entry to primary providers.
Why Uruguay Won Big This Time
Taking under consideration all of those components, Uruguay ranked because the primary most secure nation within the Latin group, in addition to the fiftieth most secure worldwide.
If you thought Argentina would rank on the very prime, it truly locations quantity three, behind Uruguay, in fact, and Chile, however this isn’t a comparative piece. Back to Uruguay:
As assessed by Global Citizen Solutions, the murder price in Uruguay is round 8 per 100,000 (that is remarkably low for the area), and the extent of political stability is ‘excessive’. In different phrases, vacationers can count on minimal unrest on-site.
We’ll get into a number of the key protected cities in a bit, however generally, Uruguay is thought to be a superbly secure nation, boasting a strict rule of regulation and efficient policing. These components have contributed on to a higher-trust society, and decrease numbers of great, violent incidents.
They famous pickpocketing can nonetheless happen in ‘crowded city areas’, however generally, Uruguay is protected for vacationers.
Where Is Crime Most Common In Uruguay?
The U.S. Department of State informs Americans that crime in Uruguay is ‘most typical’ within the following departments:
- Montevideo (contains the namesake capital of the nation)
- Canelones
- Maldonado (contains Punta Del Este)
- Rivera
That’s two main vacationer locations: the nationwide capital, and the main coastal (and on line casino) vacation spot in Uruguay, however in line with Global Citizen Solutions, they’re two of three ‘key protected cities’.
Montevideo is a mini Buenos Aires of kinds, identified for its stunning colonial-era structure, coated markets, and vibrant social scene.
Punta del Este, alternatively, is for high-end motels straddling the Atlantic, nightlife, and yachting. It’s additionally the house of the ‘Uruguayan Santorini’, identified domestically as Casapueblo, a chalk-white seaside complicated just like the well-known Greek island.
As for the third and closing key metropolis, it is Colonia del Sacramento, a picture-perfect small town characterised by its cobble-paved alleys, lined with pastel-hue homes, and Portuguese-era colonial edifices. Yep, earlier than the Spanish took over, their Lusitan used to rule Colonia.
Stay Safe While Abroad Using Our Travel Advisory Checker
If you are flying overseas within the coming months, and also you’re uncertain which security recommendation applies at your vacation spot, ensure you try our U.S. Travel Advisory Checker:
Simply sort within the title of the nation within the gadget’s search bar, and the up-to-date data on safety dangers will pop up.
The better part is, it is free to make use of, and far easier than wordy, complicated Government web sites.
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