Hundreds of anti-riot police have stormed a maximum-security prison in Guatemala, successfully freeing guards held hostage in a dramatic operation that saw three officers killed.
Dawn Raid Quells Major Prison Uprising
In the early hours of Sunday, 18 January 2026, security forces launched a major assault on the Renovation maximum-security prison, located roughly 47 miles southwest of Guatemala City. The operation was mounted to retake control of the facility, which houses notorious gang leaders, and to rescue nine guards who had been taken captive.
National Civil Police Director David Custodio Botero confirmed that officers faced significant armed resistance during the incursion. He reported at least ten separate attacks on police, resulting in three fatalities and at least five officers wounded. In the aftermath, five attackers were captured by authorities.
Coordinated Unrest Across Multiple Facilities
The crisis at the Renovation prison was not an isolated event. Guatemala's Interior Minister, Marco Antonio Villeda, had confirmed on Saturday night that it was part of a larger, coordinated uprising across three separate prisons.
In total, inmates seized three dozen guards across these facilities. The widespread unrest has been attributed by the Interior Ministry to a decision by prison administrators to revoke certain privileges from imprisoned gang leaders. The ministry took a firm public stance, declaring, "In Guatemala, we don’t negotiate with terrorists nor with organized crime. We also don’t allow groups that have sown fear to impose their conditions."
Hostages Freed Amidst Gunfire
An Associated Press journalist at the scene witnessed guards being escorted from the Renovation prison approximately 15 minutes after the police action began. All appeared to be unharmed following their ordeal. No immediate injuries or fatalities were reported among the freed hostages following the successful police intervention.
The operation marks a significant escalation in the government's efforts to confront powerful criminal organisations within the prison system. The incident also follows the escape of two inmates from another facility on New Year's Day, one of whom is a convicted murderer, highlighting ongoing security challenges.
