Guatemala. In order to strengthen the security of Guatemala's population and as part of strategies to reduce crime, the Ministry of the Interior installed 3,431 surveillance cameras at strategic points during 2014, an official source reported.
Juan Carlos Argueta, Deputy Minister of Technology, explained to local media that last year 1,018 cameras were installed in zone 18 on the northern outskirts of the capital, 1,200 in the municipality of Villa Nueva, to the south, 1,133 in the municipality of Mixco and 80 in the colonial city of Antigua Guatemala, among others.
"In the coming days we expect the placement of another 1,569 cameras to culminate with the first phase of 5,000 in the capital and municipalities of Villa Nueva, San Miguel Petapa, Mixco, Amatitlán and in the departmental capital of Escuintla," argueta said.
These 5,000 devices have better technology programs, which will be added to the 2,800 already existing in this Central American country.
The state-of-the-art video surveillance system has special qualities that detect human faces to recognize people and vehicle license plates, and works in any weather situation, which places it at the forefront of technology with the aim of countering criminal acts in various places, he said. Argueta indicated that by 2015 the expansion of this system is planned in the borders and departmental capitals. This pilot plan will begin in the department of Escuintla (south) to Tecún Umán, jurisdiction of the department of San Marcos (southwest), and from Chimaltenango (center) to Huehuetenango (northwest).
