Overview
- Guatemala’s Defense Ministry reported an armed entry by presumed Cártel de Sinaloa operatives in Huehuetenango and San Marcos, triggering clashes with troops and rival groups.
- Officials in Guatemala confirmed one civilian killed, a Guatemalan army officer wounded in a lower limb and stable, one person detained, and seizures of weapons, explosives, accessories, and drones.
- Mexico’s defense chief Ricardo Trevilla said both countries began parallel, time‑bound operations on Dec. 9 that could be extended, with Mexican units conducting heightened patrols and reconnaissance flights.
- Trevilla described the confrontation as a fight between a faction linked to the Cártel de Sinaloa and another cartel active in Chiapas and Guatemala, reflecting ongoing battles for control of trafficking routes.
- Local reports documented burned vehicles and narcomantas naming alleged rivals, while some media cited higher casualties than official counts, which authorities have not corroborated.