The President of Guatemala has declared a 30-day state of emergency to eliminate criminal gangs after a hostage-taking riot occurred in three prisons and eight police officers were killed in retaliation against the government. The military is set to be deployed on the streets, suspending the right to assemble and allowing arrests without a court warrant.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo declared a nationwide 30-day state of emergency on Sunday (18 Jan) to address and suppress criminal gangs, following ongoing violent incidents including the killing of at least eight police officers and hostage-taking at three prisons across the country.
The incident began when inmates linked to criminal gangs took 46 hostages in various prisons to pressure the government to transfer gang leaders from high-security prisons to those with less control. Authorities managed to regain control of all three prisons on the same day.
The Ministry of the Interior reported that eight police officers were killed in retaliatory attacks by criminal groups while on duty, with at least 10 other officers injured, and one suspected gang member killed. The Minister of the Interior noted that these attacks were direct responses to state operations.
The state of emergency order took immediate effect, suspending the right to assemble and granting authorities the power to arrest and investigate individuals without a court warrant. However, these measures require parliamentary approval, where the opposition holds the majority. Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House has called for national unity during this crisis period.
On Sunday morning, police and military forces conducted an operation at the high-security "Renovacion 1" prison south of Guatemala City, using armored vehicles and tear gas. The area was retaken in just 15 minutes, all hostages were rescued without further casualties, and the national-level leader of the Barrio 18 gang was arrested.
Authorities also rescued 28 hostages from Fresanes 2 prison and nine from Preventivo prison, with no additional fatalities reported across all operations. The Defense Minister confirmed that the military would continue to maintain a presence on the streets to dismantle criminal networks.
The Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gangs are accused of being the main sources of drug and violence problems in Guatemala. The United States classifies both groups as terrorist organizations. Official data shows Guatemala's homicide rate in 2025 is 16.1 per 100,000 people, more than twice the global average.
.sourceAFP