Guatemala, Escuintla, Izabal, San Marcos and Huehuetenango will continue under a state of prevention for 15 more days, according to decree 7-2026, published this Wednesday, May 6 in the Diario de Centro América.
The Executive considers that the State of Guatemala is a party to the American Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which is why it must guarantee the protection of human rights and apply the measure in accordance with the law, for reasons of general interest and exclusively for the established purpose.
It is not the first time that the aforementioned departments are under a state of prevention, a measure that during 2026 has been expanded on several occasions and sectorized after the state of siege that prevailed for a month, derived from riots in three prisons.
The Government establishes this expansion of the state of prevention in light of the continuity of state measures to prevent and repress actions against State security forces and public order, including armed attacks against civil authorities by maras or gangs, or other activities that disturb public order.
This measure, which comes into force this May 6, aims to have a legal framework that allows for the continuation of coordinated exceptional actions by the State security forces in the aforementioned departments, aimed at preventing and repressing serious disturbances of peace and public order by members of maras or gangs, or other violent activities.
To read more: Analysts see limited results and warn of risks from prolonging the state of prevention
Measures that the state of prevention implies
- Limit the holding of outdoor meetings, public demonstrations or other spectacles and, where appropriate, prevent them from taking place
- Dissolve by force, without the need for any summons, any group, meeting or public demonstration in which weapons are used or acts of violence are resorted to.
- Prohibit the circulation or parking of vehicles in specific places, areas and times, prevent them from leaving specific towns or subject them to search.
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