GUATEMALA CITY — A number of dozen Guatemalan jail guards had been being held hostage by inmates in three prisons Saturday following apparently coordinated disturbances, authorities stated.
Inside Minister Marco Antonio Villeda stated he was keen to speak with the inmates, however wouldn’t accede to their calls for in looking for the discharge of the 46 guards.
Earlier Saturday, Villeda’s company stated in a press release that the inmate rebellion was a direct results of the jail directors’ resolution to strip privileges from some imprisoned gang leaders.
“In Guatemala, we don’t negotiate with terrorists nor with organized crime,” the assertion stated. “We additionally don’t permit teams which have sown concern to impose their circumstances.”
Nationwide Police had been deployed across the affected prisons. There have been no studies of accidents or deaths.
In movies circulated on social platforms, some prisoners demanded switch.
In October, President Bernardo Arévaloaccepted the resignations of three prime safety officers, together with Villeda’s predecessor, after authorities admitted that 20 gang members had escaped over a interval of days.
“The hyperlink between the jail system and the criminality exterior must be minimize,” Arévalo stated in an interview with The Related Press Thursday. “That’s why all this effort to regain management of the jail system is essential.”


