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Guatemala’s Complex Security Situation

Criminal Landscape

Guatemala is home to various criminal groups that operate within its borders. These groups include former and active members of the security forces and police, long-time smugglers, human traffickers, and Mexican and Colombian drug trafficking organizations. Notably, these groups often collaborate with sectors of the government that facilitate their activities and share an interest in maintaining weak state institutions.

• Examples of these criminal groups:
  • Former and active members of the security forces and police
  • Long-time smugglers
  • Human traffickers
  • Mexican and Colombian drug trafficking organizations

Security Forces

Guatemala has a significant presence of security forces, with 21,500 active military personnel and 42,000 National Police officers. However, these forces are plagued by corruption, lack of resources, and institutional weakness.

• Facts about the security forces:
  • Number of active military personnel: 21,500
  • Number of National Police officers: 42,000
  • Issues affecting the security forces: corruption, lack of resources, institutional weakness

Judicial System

The Attorney General’s Office is designed to function as an autonomous body promoting criminal justice and ensuring national laws are adhered to. Unfortunately, Guatemala’s judicial system has been plagued by institutional weakness, high impunity rates, and corruption.

• Facts about the judicial system:
  • Institutional weakness
  • High impunity rates
  • Corruption

Prisons

Guatemala’s prisons are overcrowded, with 23,361 people in prisons despite a maximum capacity of 8,539 inmates (an overpopulation rate of 293%). The poor infrastructure and unsatisfactory living conditions have led to unrest and revolt among inmates.

• Facts about the prisons:
  • Overcrowding: 23,361 people in prisons
  • Maximum capacity: 8,539 inmates
  • Overpopulation rate: 293%
  • Causes of unrest: poor infrastructure failing to meet inmates’ requests for better living conditions

Corruption

Deliberate efforts have been made to weaken the Attorney General’s Office and stack courts with allies, transforming the judicial sector into a tool for shielding corruption schemes. Additionally, criminal-corrupt networks leveraged their influence in the judicial sector to meddle in elections, disqualifying unwelcome candidates on dubious grounds prior to the 2023 general elections.

• Facts about corruption:
  • Weakening of the Attorney General’s Office
  • Stacking of courts with allies
  • Meddling in elections: disqualification of candidates on dubious grounds