Guatemala mourns 10 police slain by gangsters amid state of emergency

State of exigency imposed aft pack unit allows constabulary to apprehension suspected criminals without judicial order.

Ten constabulary officers person been killed successful a question of coordinated gangster attacks successful Guatemala that began with situation riots successful 3 facilities and fanned retired onto the streets of the superior successful retribution killings, starring the authorities to state a authorities of emergency.

Officials confirmed precocious connected Monday that a 10th constabulary serviceman died pursuing the attacks, arsenic the country’s lawmakers approved the 30-day state of emergency that had travel into effect the erstwhile time successful a near-unanimous vote, according to quality bureau The Associated Press.

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The violence erupted connected Saturday erstwhile inmates from the notorious Barrio 18 gang took dozens of guards hostage at 3 prisons, and escalated the pursuing time with attacks connected constabulary successful and astir Guatemala City aft information forces regained power of a situation holding the gang’s leader, Aldo “El Lobo” Duppie.

The authorities said the gang, which is reportedly progressive successful cause trafficking crossed Central America on with rival radical Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), was demanding privileges for its members and leaders.

On Monday, the authorities gazette published President Bernardo Arevalo’s declaration of the authorities of emergency, which limits state of enactment and demonstrations and allows constabulary to apprehension radical without a judicial bid if they are suspected pack members.

The declaration, condemning the “coordinated actions” of the gangsters against authorities forces, which included “armed attacks against civilian authorities”, besides gives constabulary powers to prohibit the question of vehicles successful definite places oregon taxable them to searches.

‘Sacrifice’ successful enactment of duty

On Monday, constabulary honoured their fallen colleagues successful a ceremonial astatine the Interior Ministry arsenic the state reeled from the unit successful an ambiance of fearfulness and outrage, with heavier information successful the streets of the capital.

“Today it pains maine to springiness each 1 of the families this flag, awesome of the federation that volition not hide the sacrifice and committedness of their constabulary fallen successful the fulfilment of their duty,” said Arevalo connected Monday.

Since mid-2025, pack members person staged respective uprisings successful Guatemalan prisons to request their leaders beryllium held successful little restrictive conditions. In October, 20 leaders of Barrio 18 escaped from prison. Only six person been recaptured, portion different was changeable dead.

Gang person El Lobo – joined to the niece of Sandra Torres, the main rival of Arevalo successful the 2023 statesmanlike predetermination – is serving sentences totalling astir 2,000 years.