550408~ 155

The Departamento de Transito (Guardia Civil) requivesthhe
registration of your vehicle immediately upon arrival to Guatemela
Ottye The permit te iesued and must be renewed every month. If
not 6o renewed you? vehicle will be impounded. Only after deley and
@ payment of « substantial fine (eapecially Americanos) will the oar
be relinguished, Ao I remember, three days vere raquired to renew
my permit for the month of Janusry a8 thie period was the beginning
of the fiscal year and they had not se yet received authorization
or had established a new procedure for the coming year! If,
unfortunetely, you epply at the end of the month you ean enticipate
@tanding in line far at least two or three hours.

The Sivil Guard, Department of Defense, Seoret Service and
Gustoma Offieiala indepently heve the power to inapect your oar.
at sny time. These inepections inveriably are made without your
knowledge or consent. Your equipment ies not respected--~I remember
one cocssion when they releseed fifteen batts of cotton woich I
hed sealed under pressure and 4% wae 2]) they could de to get the
door of the oar sloeed agains

If you sre, from time to time, expected to receive packs ges
from the States always remember thet a full day and considerable
expense generally is required to get them through customs in
Guatemala City. QOustome in Guatemala sre hopelessly confused with
military red-tape and if every administrative cog is aot smoothly
meshed, a days delay is enevitable, Note thatife the ememple, seven
authentications are required--each authentication requiring a

waiting period of at least a half an hour.

To freight ® oar by rail from Guetemala Oity to Puerto Barrios
whiehy inoidertiy ie the only route poseible between these two cities,
cost ma $89.94 which included securing the car to the flat oar of
the trein. "Conia" in Guatemala City and"Matton"” in New Orleane are
two firme which show some degree of efficiensy wed integrity, but
firme which must be continually rejuvinated to get the job done.

Fer exauiple, you will note thst in hie letter he stetes thet the

esr was shipped April 15 which wae already a week deleyed but eotually
the car did not leave Guetemale until April 21. Thie deley of 21 days
which would apell disaster to a short period expedition, is not
uncommon when shipping freight or dquipment by rail or steanship.

Always allow at least one week for more for this type of inconvenience,