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Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo declared a 30-day, nationwide “state of siege” on Monday following a spree of alleged gang violence that killed nine police officers in the nation’s capital.
The declaration was made unilaterally and currently awaits congressional approval. However it will remain in place until a decision is reached.
Recent killings are believed to be gang retaliation of state authorities retaking of three maximum security prisons. The detention centers were previously taken over in a coordinated series of riots that saw over 40 guards taken hostage across the three facilities. The riots were reportedly a response to incarcerated gang members losing certain privileges in prison. No deaths or injuries have been reported from the retaking of the prisons.
The Guatemalan Constitution holds that a state of siege can be declared when civilian capabilities are not sufficiently able to respond to internal disorder and can thus temporarily suspend certain constitutional rights.
Since taking office, the Arevalo administration has cracked down on gangs operating in Guatemala. The two most notable of these gangs are the Los Angeles-based gangs MS-13 and Barrio 18, both of which which the US and Guatemalan governments have designated as terrorist organizations. Guatemala City has said that it will not negotiate with such gangs.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele declared a similar state of emergency in 2022 in response to gang violence. In April 2025, US President Donald Trump praised Bukele and the nation’s justice system as “tough on crime.” However, human rights NGOs have criticized the nation’s police practices and judicial process.
National Civil Police Director David Boteo advised Guatemalans to stay home when possible, and the Ministry of Education has cancelled classes across the country.
The post Guatemala declares national emergency following continued gang violence appeared first on JURIST - News.
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The declaration was made unilaterally and currently awaits congressional approval. However it will remain in place until a decision is reached.
Recent killings are believed to be gang retaliation of state authorities retaking of three maximum security prisons. The detention centers were previously taken over in a coordinated series of riots that saw over 40 guards taken hostage across the three facilities. The riots were reportedly a response to incarcerated gang members losing certain privileges in prison. No deaths or injuries have been reported from the retaking of the prisons.
The Guatemalan Constitution holds that a state of siege can be declared when civilian capabilities are not sufficiently able to respond to internal disorder and can thus temporarily suspend certain constitutional rights.
Since taking office, the Arevalo administration has cracked down on gangs operating in Guatemala. The two most notable of these gangs are the Los Angeles-based gangs MS-13 and Barrio 18, both of which which the US and Guatemalan governments have designated as terrorist organizations. Guatemala City has said that it will not negotiate with such gangs.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele declared a similar state of emergency in 2022 in response to gang violence. In April 2025, US President Donald Trump praised Bukele and the nation’s justice system as “tough on crime.” However, human rights NGOs have criticized the nation’s police practices and judicial process.
National Civil Police Director David Boteo advised Guatemalans to stay home when possible, and the Ministry of Education has cancelled classes across the country.
The post Guatemala declares national emergency following continued gang violence appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.