Guatemala Declares State of Siege After Prison Riots

On Sunday, Guatemalan officials announced a state of siege following three riots in prisons that resulted in the deaths of nine police officers, as reported by various news outlets.

Police indicated that inmates briefly took control of three different prisons on Saturday, during which they held 46 guards as hostages. The newly imposed state of siege will last for 30 days, with the goal of bolstering law enforcement efforts against organized crime, according to reports.

This drastic measure responds to the government’s actions of revoking certain privileges from gang leaders and transferring them to more secure facilities. Authorities managed to regain control of the prisons on Sunday, a move that further escalated violence in the capital, leading to nine police fatalities, ten injuries, and one gang member’s death by Monday afternoon.

“The rioting and hostage-taking were tactics aimed at pressuring the state into accepting longstanding demands,” Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo stated during a press conference. He characterized the violent incidents as an attempt to instill fear in both security forces and the general populace to deter the government’s aggressive actions against gangs.

One notable figure, Aldo Duppy, also known as El Lobo, the leader of the Barrio 18 gang, was apprehended on Sunday in one of the prisons where the unrest unfolded. This gang was classified by the US Department of State as a foreign terrorist organization in September 2025, citing its extensive involvement in violent acts against various groups across Central America.

Shortly thereafter, Guatemala categorized Barrio 18 as a terrorist organization in October 2025, particularly after an incident involving the escape of 20 members from prison.