Twenty convicted members of the Barrio 18 gang, designated as terrorists by the United States, escaped from a maximum-security prison in Guatemala over the weekend, sparking immediate condemnation from American officials. The inmates broke out of Fraijanes II prison southeast of Guatemala City, where they “evaded security controls,” according to prison director Ludin Godinez. The group was labeled a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration in September.
Godinez revealed that an intelligence report warning of a potential escape attempt had been received on Friday. Investigators suspect internal assistance and have launched a corruption probe into prison staff. The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala called the jailbreak “utterly unacceptable,” stating that anyone aiding the fugitives would face consequences. American authorities urged Guatemalan officials to act “immediately and vigorously” to recapture the escapees.
Barrio 18, one of the largest criminal groups in the Northern Hemisphere, has been linked with rival MS-13 to an estimated 200,000 deaths over the past three decades, according to Salvadoran government data. The President of El Salvador recently praised former U.S. President Donald Trump for designating Barrio 18 as a terrorist organization, highlighting the significance of international collaboration in combating such groups.
The escape has intensified concerns about the group’s continued threat to regional stability. No further details on the fugitives’ whereabouts or potential accomplices have been released.