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Guatemala Decrees State of Emergency in Two Departments After Lawmaker Killed in Attack

Authorities banned gatherings and expanded police powers after an attack that killed a lawmaker and three officers, officials said.

  • On Saturday, Guatemalan authorities decreed a state of emergency in the departments of Zacapa and Izabal, citing recent violence and heightened concerns over organized crime influence.
  • Following an attack on November 6 in Rio Hondo, lawmaker Julio Cesar Portillo Paz and three police officers were killed; Portillo later died of his injuries in a hospital.
  • Authorities gained expanded powers under the new decree, allowing officials to limit outdoor gatherings and disperse groups by force, while also permitting arrests and warrantless residence entries.
  • Effective immediately, the state of emergency will remain in place for the next 30 days as The Government aims to protect the safety and peace of local families.
  • Washington designated several crime groups in Zacapa as terrorist organizations this week, with these groups allegedly maintaining ties to Mexican drug trafficking cartels amid regional instability.
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The state of siege was decreed for 30 days in the departments of Zacapa and Izabal where armed attacks have occurred

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GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemala's president Bernardo Arévalo declared Saturday afternoon a state of siege in the departments of Zacapa and Izabal, bordering Honduras, to contain the violence related to drug trafficking in the area...

The Guatemalan government has restricted freedom of movement and assembly in two areas affected by violence in connection with drug trafficking. The aim of the state of emergency is to "strengthen security" and protect the population, declared the government of the Central American country on Saturday (local time). The state of emergency in the regions bordering Honduras Zacapa and Izabal is valid for 30 days.

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Prensa Libre broke the news on Saturday, November 14, 2026.
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