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Guatemala to change security strategy after weekend of at least 24 murders
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Crime & Justice

Guatemala to change security strategy after weekend of at least 24 murders

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Ongoing story
  • Guatemala's Interior Minister announced a review of security strategy following a violent weekend with at least 24 murders on Saturday alone.
  • Gangs like Barrio 18 and Salvatrucha, along with drug trafficking disputes, are cited as primary drivers of the violence.
  • The government plans to increase police and military patrols and seeks legislative reform to prevent bail for those arrested with illegal firearms.

Guatemalan authorities are set to revise the nation's security strategy after a weekend marked by a significant surge in violence, which included at least 24 homicides on Saturday alone. Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda stated that the high number of killings necessitates a re-evaluation of current security measures.

The number of murders this weekend is very high and makes us rethink the security strategy currently underway.

— Marco Antonio VilledaGuatemala's Interior Minister explaining the need to revise security plans after a violent weekend.

The violence is largely attributed to clashes between powerful gangs, such as Barrio 18 and Salvatrucha, and ongoing disputes related to drug trafficking. Villeda acknowledged that while overall violence had seen reductions, there were notable spikes in homicides during May and June. He noted that intelligence suggests violence has shifted to areas with less police presence.

The violence has shifted to places where there is no presence of the National Civil Police.

— Marco Antonio VilledaInterior Minister Villeda citing intelligence findings on the displacement of criminal activity.

In response, Villeda announced plans for an urgent meeting with the Minister of Defense to bolster joint police and military operations and patrols. Furthermore, he intends to propose legislative reforms to Congress this week. The proposed changes to the Penal Code aim to prevent individuals apprehended with illegal firearms from being granted alternative measures, such as release on bail.

The murders with firearms increased by 3.8% in the Central American country during 2025 compared to 2024, according to official calculations.

— EFEReporting on the increase in firearm-related homicides in Guatemala.

Official figures indicate a rise in firearm-related deaths, increasing by 3.8% in 2025 compared to the previous year. In 2025, 3,020 murders were committed with firearms, up from 2,910 in 2024. Overall homicides in Guatemala rose by 10% in 2025, reaching 3,139 cases compared to 2024. Earlier this year, the government declared a state of siege for one month following a gang attack that resulted in the deaths of 11 police officers.

Guatemala registered a total of 3,139 homicides in 2025, 10% more than in 2024, according to data from local entities.

— EFEProviding statistics on the overall rise in homicides in Guatemala.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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