Guatémalteque authorities released nine prison guards who have been detained on Thursday for Thursday by riots from prisoners in the city of Guatemala, said an official.
Members of the two biggest gangs in Guatemala – Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha – started to move on Tuesday in two prisons, demanding the return of 10 leaders who had been transferred to another installation and placed in isolation.
José Portillo, Vice Minister of Security, told the Associated Press that the guards released on Saturday had been detained by members of Mara Salvatrucha.
A prison official died on Friday after being killed, the authorities said, without providing more details.
The local media reported that the shooting had taken place in one of the prisons involved in the riots.
In another similar incident, the anti-Kidnapping teams released 11 guards on Wednesday which were also held hostage by gang members in two Guatemah prisons. The Minister of the Interior, Francisco Jiménez, told the Associated Press that the rioters demanded that the Guatemah authorities refer their leaders of the prison where they were transferred, Renovación I, to prisons where they were able to direct the gangs and “exercise criminal power”.
Guatemala was plagued by violent rivalry between Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha, commonly called MS-13. The authorities say They both seek to take control of the territory where they extort money from companies and individuals.
At least 7 people were killed last month when armed members of MS-13 stormed the funeral of a member of Barrio 18 who had been killed.
Earlier this year, President Trump appointed MS-13 as a terrorist organization, placing it on a list of criminal groups which, according to him, operate in the region and threaten public security across the hemisphere.
Last week, Mr. Trump ordered soldiers to target drug cartels in Latin AmericaA source familiar with the case told CBS News.