4 months ago
3
Several twelve Guatemalan situation guards were being held hostage by inmates successful 3 prisons connected Saturday (January 17, 2026) pursuing seemingly coordinated disturbances, authorities said.
Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda said helium was consenting to speech with the inmates, but would not accede to their demands successful seeking the merchandise of the 46 guards.
Earlier Saturday, Villeda's bureau said successful a connection that the inmate uprising was a nonstop effect of the situation administrators' determination to portion privileges from immoderate imprisoned pack leaders.
“In Guatemala, we don't negociate with terrorists nor with organised crime,” the connection said. “We besides don't let groups that person sown fearfulness to enforce their conditions.”
National Police were deployed astir the affected prisons. There were nary reports of injuries oregon deaths.
In videos circulated connected societal platforms, immoderate prisoners demanded transfer.
In October, President Bernardo Arévalo accepted the resignations of 3 apical information officials, including Villeda's predecessor, aft authorities admitted that 20 pack members had escaped implicit a play of days.
“The nexus betwixt the situation strategy and the criminality extracurricular has to beryllium cut,” Mr. Arévalo said successful an interrogation with The Associated Press on Thursday (January 15, 2026). “That's wherefore each this effort to regain power of the situation strategy is precise important.”
