Guatemalas President Declares 30-Day State of Emergency Following Prison Riots

Guatemala’s President Declares State of Emergency Following Weekend Violence

President Bernardo Arevalo has issued a 30-day state of emergency order, restricting civil liberties and allowing security officers to arrest or question individuals without prior court approval. The move comes after at least seven police officers were killed in apparent reprisal for authorities quelling riots and ending hostage-taking in three prisons.

The violence began on Saturday when gang members took dozens of hostages across three prisons, including the maximum-security prison holding Aldo Duppie, leader of Guatemala’s Barrio 18 gang. The riot was broken up by a police raid early Sunday morning, followed by raids on two more prisons. The Barrio 18 leader was photographed in custody wearing a blood-stained shirt.

In response to the violence, President Arevalo declared three days of state mourning and stated that the murders were carried out with the intention of terrorizing security forces and the population. The president also vowed that the government would not give up in its fight against gangs.

According to authorities, retaliatory attacks began on police officers shortly after the raids ended, killing at least seven and injuring 10. The Interior Minister has linked the deaths to gang reprisals “in response to the actions the Guatemalan state is taking against them”.

The US Embassy in Guatemala City lifted its “shelter-in-place order” issued for staff over the weekend following coordinated attacks on police in several zones of the city. The army will remain on the streets to continue its crackdown on gang members, according to Defence Minister Henry Saenz.

Source: Al Jazeera