January 19, 2026 1:21 PM
Guatemalan President declares 30-day ‘state of siege’ after prison riots and deadly gang attacks on police
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo declared a 30-day nationwide state of siege on Sunday (January 18), after security forces freed dozens of prison guards held hostage by inmates, ending a weekend of gang violence that left at least seven police officers dead and another 10 injured. Arevalo emphasised the state of siege would focus exclusively on combating organised crime without restricting daily life or citizen mobility, though Education Minister Anabella Giracca suspended classes nationwi...