Guatemala Declares State of Emergency to Address Gang Violence

The Guatemalan government declared a state of emergency on Sunday to crack down on gang violence, in response to a surge of unrest in recent days that has included uprisings at prisons and the killing of eight police officers.

The state of emergency will last for 30 days and will empower the country’s national police and army to act against gangs and organized crime, President Bernardo Arévalo said at a news conference on Sunday afternoon.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/18/world/americas/guatemala-emergency-drug-cartels.html