Guatemala declares state of emergency after eight police officers killed in prison gang violence | Guatemala
Guatemala’s president has declared a 30-day nationwide state of emergency to combat criminal gangs after authorities accused the groups of killing eight police officers and holding hostages at three prisons.
The killings occurred in the capital city and surrounding areas a day after gang-affiliated inmates took 46 people hostage in the three prisons across the country to demand incarcerated gang leaders be moved to lower-security facilities.
President Bernardo Arévalo said authorities had retaken control of all three prisons on Sunday.
Hours earlier, Guatemala’s police announced the deaths of eight of its officers “in the line of duty at the hands of criminals”.
The interior minister, Marco Antonio Villeda, told a news conference that the killings were carried out “by these terrorists, in response to the actions the Guatemalan state is taking against them”.
Ten other police officers were wounded in the retaliatory attacks, and one suspected gang member was killed, he said.
on Sunday evening, Arévalo decreed the 30-day nationwide state of emergency to combat the gangs.
The measure, which must be approved by the opposition-controlled Congress, suspends the right of assembly and permits individuals to be arrested and interrogated without a court order.
The opposition leader, Luís Contreras, who is president of Congress, called for unity to face “one of the most tough moments” in the country’s history.