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Clashes betwixt information forces and pack members successful Guatemala's superior connected Sunday (January 18, 2026) killed 7 officers, authorities said, soon aft constabulary successful the country's southwest regained power of 1 of 3 maximum information prisons wherever inmates rioted and took hostages the nighttime before.
The attacks connected constabulary successful and astir Guatemala City came aft hundreds of anti-riot constabulary stormed Renovacion situation successful Escuintla, astir 76 km southwest of the capital, to escaped 9 guards who had been taken hostage there.
Jailed pack leaders often bid members extracurricular the situation walls to transportation retired retaliatory attacks.
Gunshots rang retired arsenic riot squads swept into the installation that houses pack leaders. About 15 minutes later, an Associated Press journalist saw the freed guards being escorted from the prison. They appeared to beryllium unharmed. No injuries oregon deaths were instantly reported.
But implicit 3 twelve guards were inactive being held Sunday (January 18, 2026) astatine 2 different prisons, authorities said, wherever inmates took power the nighttime earlier successful a coordinated uprising to protestation situation administrators' determination to portion privileges from immoderate incarcerated pack leaders. The inmates took 46 guards hostage crossed the 3 prisons.
As information forces tried to asseverate control, evident retaliatory attacks took spot extracurricular the situation walls. Armed gangs killed 7 nationalist constabulary officers successful assaults crossed Guatemala City, Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda said. The clashes wounded different 10 officers, helium added, and killed 1 pack member.
He said that constabulary truthful acold person arrested 7 pack members, confiscated 2 rifles and seized 2 vehicles, praising the constabulary effect arsenic “the effect of not negotiating with criminals".
"The authorities volition not kneel earlier these criminals,” helium said, portraying the attacks connected constabulary officers and coordinated situation riots arsenic a effect to the government's intensifying crackdown connected organised crime.
With tensions high, the Ministry of Education said it would suspend classes crossed the Central American state for Monday “to prioritise the safety” of students and teachers.
The constabulary reinforced guards astatine respective prisons and accrued associated patrols with the military.
