By Zoila Palma: A wave of coordinated attacks by the Barrio 18 gang in Guatemala has highlighted the government’s limited capacity to confront organized crime, despite declaring a state of emergency.
Just 48 hours after 10 police officers were killed across the country, daily life in Guatemala City appeared largely unchanged, with routine checkpoints and officers acknowledging they lack legal authority to pursue gang members beyond minor infractions, El Pais reports.
Between Saturday and Sunday, Barrio 18—designated a transnational terrorist organization by the United States—took control of 3 prisons, held 46 guards hostage, and triggered the suspension of classes nationwide.
President Bernardo Arévalo ordered the army to patrol the streets, but the security presence has had little visible impact.
Police reported 23 gang-related arrests, yet prosecutors have charged only one suspect, and only for minor offenses.
The violence highlighted deep corruption within Guatemala’s prison and justice systems.
Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda said the prison riots were retaliation for the removal of privileges long enjoyed by imprisoned gang leaders. Previous scandals, including the trafficking of weapons and bribes paid to guards to facilitate escapes, have shown how gangs have entrenched themselves within state institutions.
The crisis comes amid broader instability, including recent mass killings linked to gang rivalries and attacks on military outposts.
Arévalo has blamed unnamed “political-criminal mafias” seeking to destabilize his administration, as the country approaches key appointments to the Attorney General’s Office and high courts.
Tensions persist between the presidency and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, whose head the president accuses of corruption.
Despite the emergency decree, there have been no large-scale raids or sweeping security operations, and authorities insist citizens’ rights will not be curtailed.
The post International News: Barrio 18 attacks expose limits of Guatemala’s fight against organized crime appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: A wave of coordinated attacks by the Barrio 18 gang in Guatemala has highlighted the government’s limited capacity to confront organized crime, despite declaring a state of emergency. Just 48 hours after 10 police officers were killed across the country, daily life in Guatemala City appeared largely unchanged, with routine checkpoints and
The post International News: Barrio 18 attacks expose limits of Guatemala’s fight against organized crime appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.