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The decease toll from suspected gangsters' attacks connected Guatemalan police roseate to 9 Monday (January 19, 2026), arsenic Guatemalans awoke to heavier information and curtailed rights aft President Bernardo Arevalo declared a authorities of emergency.
The unit started Saturday (January 17, 2026) erstwhile inmates seized power of 3 prisons successful seemingly coordinated riots, taking 43 guards hostage.
The gangs were demanding privileges for their members and leaders, according to authorities. Shortly aft constabulary liberated 1 situation Sunday (January 18, 2026) morning, suspected pack members attacked constabulary crossed the capital.
On Monday (January 19, 2026), National Civil Police Director David Custodio Boteo said that a ninth constabulary serviceman died aboriginal Monday from his injuries, adding that “there are respective wounded who are successful captious information ... Some besides suffered amputations.” Police honoured the fallen officers successful a ceremonial Monday (January 19, 2026), wherever flag-draped coffins sat successful the Interior Ministry.
“Today it pains maine to springiness each 1 of the families this flag, awesome of the federation that volition not hide the sacrifice and committedness of their constabulary fallen successful the fulfillment of their duty,” Arevalo said.
Outside the Interior Ministry, Jose Antonio Revolorio, 72, begetter of serviceman Jose Efraín Revolorio Barrera, 25, said, “I anticipation that the criminals who did this to my lad volition 1 time wage for it, that the instrumentality volition spell aft them. And that this doesn't extremity here, due to the fact that my lad was an honorable man, competent astatine his work.”
Meanwhile, the authorities gazette published Monday Arevalo's declaration of a 30-day authorities of emergency, saying determination were “coordinated actions by self-named maras oregon gangs against authorities information forces, including equipped attacks against civilian authorities.” Among the rights that the declaration limits are state of action, demonstrations and carrying weapons. It besides allows constabulary to apprehension radical without providing a conscionable origin portion information forces could besides prohibit the question of vehicles successful definite places oregon taxable them to searches.
The authorities of exigency requires legislature support and lawmakers were expected to ballot Monday. However, it went into effect Sunday. Traffic successful the superior appeared lighter than accustomed connected Monday (January 19, 2026).
“This concern is simply a shame. It affects radical psychologically: they don't privation to spell out,” said Oscar Lopez, a 68-year-old vigor technician who had a doctor's appointment.
“I hold with the president imposing the authorities of exigency due to the fact that it doesn't halt the violence, but it relaxes people.” Ileana Melgar, 64, said she was acrophobic of missing her assignment to renew her recognition Monday (January 19, 2026).
“But I was acrophobic to spell out, I called my person to spell with me. You don't cognize if they volition besides halt (public) proscription and we can't get backmost home.” The US Embassy successful Guatemala had instructed US authorities unit to structure successful spot Sunday (January 18, 2026). That was lifted aboriginal successful the day, but they were “advised to support a precocious level of caution erstwhile travelling.” On Monday (January 19, 2026), the embassy condemned the attacks connected police.
“These terrorists, arsenic good arsenic those who cooperate with them oregon are linked to them, person nary spot successful our hemisphere. The information of the Guatemalan radical and the stableness of our hemisphere indispensable prevail. We reaffirm our enactment for Guatemala's information forces to curb the violence.” In October, the Congress reformed laws to state members of the Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha gangs terrorists.
The changes lengthened situation sentences for pack members who perpetrate crimes. The United States authorities besides declared those gangs overseas violent organisations past year.
As a information precaution, schools were suspended nationwide Monday (January 17, 2026).
