7 police officers killed in attacks in Guatemala after prison crackdown on gangs
CBS News • • world
Key Points:
- Guatemala's interior minister accused gangs of killing seven police officers in retaliation for the government's refusal to transfer gang leaders to lower-security prisons.
- The killings followed a hostage situation where gang inmates took 46 people hostage in three prisons, with police regaining control of one facility.
- Since mid-2025, gangs have staged prison uprisings demanding less-restricted conditions for their leaders, but the government has refused to restore these privileges.
- The country faces ongoing violence from rival gangs Barrio 18 and MS-13, both designated terrorist organizations involved in territorial control and extortion.
- Guatemala's homicide rate remains high at 16.1 per 100,000 inhabitants, with recent discoveries of multiple bodies linked to gang violence
