Guatemala mourns 10 police slain by gangsters amid state of emergency

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffJanuary 20, 2026 at 08:21 AM

AI Summary

short article 2 min

In Guatemala, a state of emergency has been declared after coordinated gang attacks resulted in the deaths of ten police officers. The violence began with prison riots orchestrated by the Barrio 18 gang in three facilities, escalating to attacks on police in Guatemala City. The gang's actions are reportedly in response to security forces regaining control of a prison holding their leader, Aldo “El Lobo” Duppie, and a demand for privileges. The 30-day state of emergency, approved by lawmakers, restricts freedoms and allows police to make arrests without judicial orders if individuals are suspected gang members. The government aims to curb the gang's activities, which include drug trafficking across Central America.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Associated Press 40% Central America 40% Aldo “El Lobo” Duppie 50% Guatemala City 60% Bernardo Arevalo 60% Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) 70% State of Emergency (Guatemala) ×580% Barrio 18 80% Guatemala ×490%

Keywords

state of emergency 90% gang violence 90% police officers killed 80% guatemala 80% prison riots 70% gangsters 70% barrio 18 gang 60% arrest without judicial order 60% retribution killings 50% drug trafficking 40%