Guatemala Imposes 30-Day State of Siege After Prison Riots and Police Killings

Overview

• Security forces retook the maximum-security Renovación I prison using armored vehicles and tear gas, freeing nine hostages and capturing gang leader Aldo Duppie, known as El Lobo.
• Dozens of prison staff remain captive in Fraijanes II and Preventivo as operations continue to secure the facilities.
• Officials report at least seven police officers killed and about ten wounded in coordinated attacks that followed the prison raid, with one suspected assailant killed and several suspects detained.
• President Bernardo Arévalo deployed the military nationwide and suspended classes as part of the emergency response to the gang-led unrest.
• The state-of-siege measure suspends rights such as assembly and permits warrantless detentions and interrogations, and it targets the Barrio 18 and MS-13 groups designated as terrorist organizations.