While I am certain child stealing does happen in Guatemala the people there also do shady shit with kids. I knew better and avoided trouble but you will be approached by a woman with a child (in my case it was a girl child). They shove the child at you and the natural response is to put your arms out…not really to take the child but the way they do it makes it seem as if the child is going to fall to the ground. The gut reaction is to reach out to stop it.
I backed away immediately.
"Here here, isn't she beautiful?" they said
I said, "Ah que linda", while backing further away. refusing to take the child.
Had I taken the child, even if it was to stop it falling to the ground (a reflex) they would have immediately called a gang to accuse me of attempting to steal the child. This is a racket they run so they can beat and rob you "legally". My incident happened in Chichi. Never, I mean never, let anyone carrying a child get within arms reach of you in Guatemala.
The man in the video was accused and almost executed. They did execute someone else. But he did not say he actually witnessed any child theft. I know this might be difficult to believe but many of these indigenous people have zero value for the life of a child (which they, having no BC have plenty of). They sell their kids to "migrants" who use them to gain access to the US..re that old family policy and before the new DNA testing for relativity. Pretty sure they are bemoaning the loss of income.
Be careful ascribing western values regarding kids to everyone. Most of them literally don't care.
I am sure child theft does happen but it is more an excuse to rob and murder people.