Guatemala declares state of siege after gang violence kills seven police officers

GUATEMALA CITY (Journos News) – Guatemala’s government has declared a nationwide state of siege after suspected gang attacks killed seven police officers in and around the capital, escalating a confrontation between authorities and powerful criminal groups.
The emergency measure follows a coordinated prison uprising in which inmates took guards hostage at three maximum-security facilities, prompting a forceful security response and apparent retaliatory violence outside prison walls.
President Bernardo Arévalo said the decision was aimed at restoring order and preventing gangs from using intimidation to pressure the state, as security forces continue operations across the country.

Guatemala City and surrounding areas remained under heightened security on Monday as police and military units expanded patrols following the weekend violence. Authorities say the attacks were directly linked to efforts to reassert control over prisons dominated by gang leadership.

Prison riots trigger deadly retaliation

The violence began after hundreds of anti-riot police stormed the Renovación prison in Escuintla, about 76 kilometers southwest of the capital, late Saturday to free guards taken hostage during an inmate uprising. The prison is one of three maximum-security facilities where inmates seized control in a coordinated protest against the removal of privileges granted to incarcerated gang leaders.

According to officials, shots were fired as security forces entered the Escuintla facility. Within minutes, guards were escorted out unharmed, an Associated Press journalist at the scene reported. No injuries or deaths were immediately recorded during the prison operation itself.

Authorities later said they had also regained control of two other prisons in Guatemala City, freeing dozens more guards. National Civil Police reported that six guards were released from one facility and 28 from another, though officials acknowledged discrepancies with earlier figures that suggested more hostages had been held.

Seven officers killed in attacks across capital

As security forces moved to retake the prisons, armed attacks were launched against police units in multiple locations across Guatemala City. Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda said seven national police officers were killed and at least 10 others wounded in the assaults. One suspected gang member was also killed during clashes.

Villeda described the attacks as retaliatory strikes ordered by jailed gang leaders, a tactic long associated with organized crime groups in the region. He said authorities had arrested seven suspected gang members, seized two rifles, and confiscated two vehicles in operations following the violence.

“The state will not kneel before these criminals,” Villeda said, adding that the police response reflected a refusal to negotiate with gangs seeking to pressure the government through violence.

President declares state of siege

In a televised address on Sunday, President Arévalo announced a 30-day state of siege, citing serious threats posed by organized crime that exceed the capacity of civilian authorities to respond under normal conditions. The declaration allows the government to temporarily restrict certain constitutional rights, including freedom of movement and assembly.

“They rioted in the prisons and took hostages with the intention of forcing the state to accept their demands,” Arévalo said. He added that such concessions had been granted for decades, enabling gangs to entrench their power inside the prison system.

The president said the subsequent attacks on police were intended to terrorize both security forces and the wider population, in an effort to weaken the government’s campaign against organized crime. He confirmed that all hostage guards had been freed.

Under Guatemala’s constitution, a state of siege requires congressional approval but can take effect immediately while lawmakers consider the measure. Arévalo said the emergency powers were necessary to protect citizens and deploy all available resources against gang networks.

Education suspended, security reinforced

With tensions high, the Ministry of Education announced the suspension of classes nationwide for Monday, citing safety concerns for students and teachers. The move underscored fears that further violence could erupt as security operations continue.

Police reinforced guards at major prisons and increased joint patrols with the military in urban areas. Checkpoints were expanded in parts of the capital, and authorities urged residents to cooperate with security forces.

The government has not disclosed how many additional troops or police officers have been deployed under the emergency declaration, but officials said operations would focus on preventing further coordinated attacks.

Gangs and regional pressure

The Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gangs wield significant influence in Guatemala, operating both inside and outside prison walls. Their reach extends across Central America, particularly in Honduras and El Salvador, where governments have pursued differing strategies to curb gang violence.

In El Salvador, President Nayib Bukele declared a state of emergency in March 2022 after a wave of gang killings. That measure, which suspends certain constitutional protections, remains in place and has led to the arrest of more than 90,000 people, according to official figures.

Bukele’s approach has drawn regional attention and pressure on neighboring governments to adopt tougher security policies. He visited Costa Rica last week for a groundbreaking ceremony for a new prison modeled on facilities built in El Salvador.

A test for Arévalo’s security strategy

Arévalo, who took office pledging institutional reform and a tougher stance against corruption and organized crime, said the recent events showed gangs were reacting to a loss of long-standing privileges within the prison system.

“Their audacity is a sign that the state is beginning to close spaces that criminal structures have long controlled,” he said, framing the unrest as evidence that enforcement efforts were having an impact.

Human rights groups have previously warned that emergency measures risk abuses if not carefully monitored. The government said it would act within the law and review the state of siege once immediate security threats subside.

As Guatemala confronts one of its most serious security crises in recent years, the coming weeks will test whether the emergency powers can contain gang violence without deepening public fear or undermining civil liberties.