Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo has decreed a nationwide state of siege for 30 days following a weekend of extreme violence carried out by gangs, which included riots in three penitentiary centers and deadly attacks against police officers. The measure —which takes effect immediately to strengthen the State’s action against organized crime— was announced in a national address on Sunday, after coordinated criminal groups killed several agents of the Civil National Police in retaliation for security operations.
During Saturday’s unrest, inmates mainly linked to the Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gangs took control of the Renovación 1, Fraijanes 2, and Zona 18 pretrial detention prisons, taking dozens of prison guards hostage and demanding better conditions and privileges, according to official reports.
Following coordinated operations by the Police and the Army, security forces regained control of the three prisons and freed the hostages. However, shortly afterward, attacks were reported in different parts of the capital and surrounding areas, leaving at least eight police officers dead and several wounded. Authorities attribute these acts to gang reprisals against the government’s advancing security policies.
In his message, Arévalo stated that these violent actions seek to “terrorize security forces and the population in order to halt the government’s fight against gangs,” but he assured that the State will not negotiate with criminals nor retreat in its offensive. The president also announced three days of national mourning for the fallen officers and emphasized that security forces will remain deployed to guarantee order.
The state of siege temporarily suspends certain constitutional guarantees —such as freedom of assembly and the requirement of judicial warrants in specific cases— in order to allow faster responses to organized violence. The measure will proceed through the legislative process, with expectations of ratification by Congress.
