if they don't know you are there... they won't rob you
I camped a lot in mexico and guatemala and I never had any problems.
In my opinion it depends heavely on "who knows you are there". As long as the bad guy's don't know you are there.... they will leave you alone.
Therefore I always made it my buisness to "hide away". Try not to be to obvious, making big fire's, make lots of noise.... all those things that makes people (also the bad ones) curious and come and have a look.
Also I found it reasuring to camp on local peoples property. They usually don't mind or even welcome it. They welcome it even more if you offer them some coffee and a chat.
But... there are also plenty story's of "less fortunate" tourists.
Still, I think most of the risk is in the big citty's at the tourist-place's (bus-stations etc)
There is a road in Guatemala (around lago atitlan if I am not mistaken) that is notorious. Check the HUBB for it: use search. A few bikers have been robbed at gun-point and a few made a nearow escape (even with bulit-holes in the bike's).
Maarten
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