Guatemala Grapples with Gang Crisis Amidst Prison Riots and Police Attacks: Corruption, Poverty, and US Influence Fuel Instability

The situation in Guatemala has taken a devastating turn as prison riots and violent attacks on police have unfolded across the country. Behind the chaos lies a complex web of corruption, poverty, and geopolitics, with two of Central America's most notorious gangs – Barrio 18 and MS-13 – fueling the flames of instability.

The root causes of this violence run far deeper than the actions of these gangs alone; they are deeply entwined with Guatemala's broader security context, its economic struggles, and its history of corruption. A long-standing struggle between law enforcement and these two notorious gangs has led to a mass exodus of inmates from prisons in the region, including those in Guatemala.