Guatemala Declares 30-Day State of Siege After Gang Violence Kills Police Officers

Guatemala’s President Bernardo Arévalo declared a 30-day state of siege after suspected gang members killed seven police officers during riots in three prisons. Authorities regained control, freed hostages, and subdued gang leader Aldo Duppie. The state of siege grants expanded powers to security forces to combat gangs, and three days of national mourning were declared. Citizens were advised to stay home, and the U.S. Embassy issued a security warning.

Guatemala’s President, Bernardo Arévalo, on Sunday declared a 30-day state of siege following a violent escalation in the country’s prisons that resulted in the deaths of at least seven police officers. The announcement came after a standoff in three men’s security prisons, where gang-affiliated inmates took dozens of prison guards hostage. While a state of siege requires congressional approval, Guatemalan law allows it to take effect immediately before a vote, giving authorities the legal means to act swiftly in times of crisis. Under the law, a state of siege can temporarily limit or suspend certain civil liberties and significantly expand the powers of security forces in order to restore public order and respond effectively to threats posed by criminal organizations.
The incident began on Saturday when 46 prison guards were held hostage by inmates linked to the notorious Barrio 18 gang in three separate facilities. Authorities attributed the riots to demands by the gang for greater privileges for their imprisoned leaders, including being moved to lower-security prisons, which would grant them more freedom and less supervision. The situation escalated rapidly, and the killings of the police officers occurred in Guatemala City and surrounding areas, appearing to be acts of retaliation for a large-scale anti-riot operation carried out by the authorities. Hundreds of police officers were mobilized to regain control of the maximum-security Renovación prison in Escuintla, where Barrio 18’s leader, Aldo Duppie, also known as “El Lobo,” was being held. During the operation, Duppie was subdued and returned to custody. Images released by authorities on Sunday morning showed him being escorted out of the prison by officers, with visible injuries, including a bloody shoulder.
Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda confirmed that the killings were carried out by “these terrorists” in direct response to the actions taken by the Guatemalan state against them. He added that ten other police officers sustained injuries during the attacks, and one suspected gang member was killed during the confrontations. The scale and coordination of the attacks underscored the level of organization and influence that Barrio 18 continues to exert both inside and outside the prison system.
President Arévalo stated that authorities had regained control over all three prisons and had freed all the hostage guards. In a televised address, he declared a nationwide emergency aimed at combating criminal gangs and emphasized that the state of siege would allow the full force of the state, including police and military personnel, to confront and dismantle gang networks responsible for violence and intimidation. “They rioted in the prisons and took hostages with the intention of forcing the state to accept their demands, which for decades had been granted,” Arévalo said. He added that the retaliatory attacks following the retaking of the prisons were “an attempt to terrorize security forces and the population so that the government relents in its head-on fight against the gangs.”
In addition to the emergency measures, the president declared three days of national mourning to honor the police officers who lost their lives and to acknowledge the impact of the violence on the nation. He reassured the public that, despite the state of siege, normal daily life for Guatemalans should not be disrupted. On Sunday morning, the National Civil Police director, David Boteo, urged citizens to remain at home as a precaution, while the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala issued a security warning to American residents, advising them to exercise caution and stay informed about local developments.
The events highlight the ongoing challenges Guatemala faces in combating powerful and organized criminal gangs, which continue to wield influence both within the prison system and in wider society. Authorities’ swift response to retake the prisons and implement emergency measures underscores the government’s commitment to confronting gang-related violence, although the scale of the attacks and the loss of law enforcement lives demonstrate the persistent threat that gangs pose to public security and stability in the country.