GUATEMALA CITY — Guatemala has been plunged into a security crisis following the escape of 20 high-profile members of the extremely violent Barrio 18 gang from a maximum-security prison. The incident has led to a major government shake-up and a severe rebuke from the United States, which has designated the gang as a terrorist organization.

President Bernardo Arévalo announced late on Wednesday, October 15, that he had accepted the resignations of Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez and two deputy ministers—the Deputy Minister of Anti-Narcotics and the Deputy Minister of Security—holding them accountable for the massive prison break. The Interior Ministry is the government body responsible for Guatemala's prison system.

The escapees, all members of the notorious Barrio 18 gang, fled the Fraijanes II facility, a maximum-security prison located on the outskirts of Guatemala City. Shockingly, the escape did not happen recently; authorities belatedly confirmed that the inmates had evaded security controls and fled the prison complex as early as August. Furthermore, the fugitives were reported to have received external assistance, with initial reports suggesting they were aided by individuals dressed in police uniforms, highlighting a suspected high level of corruption and complicity within the correctional system.

Barrio 18, alongside its rival MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha), is one of the most feared transnational criminal organizations operating across Central America and the United States. The gangs are known for their extreme brutality, engaging in drug trafficking, extortion, and contract killings, and have been responsible for turning the Central American Northern Triangle into one of the world's regions with the highest homicide rates. The U.S. government recently escalated its stance against the gang, designating it as a "Foreign Terrorist Organization" (FTO) and "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" (SDGT).

The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala swiftly condemned the breach, calling it "totally unacceptable." The embassy warned on X (formerly Twitter) that the U.S. would "hold accountable anyone who has provided, provides, or decides to provide material support to these fugitives or other gang members."

Guatemalan authorities are now engaged in an intense, nationwide manhunt, offering a reward for information leading to the recapture of the fugitives. Some of the escapees have reportedly been detained, but the majority remain at large, raising fears that they may attempt to cross into neighboring countries like Belize, Honduras, or El Salvador.

President Arévalo called the escape a "serious betrayal by relevant public officials against all good Guatemalans," not merely an operational error. He vowed to initiate an "unprecedented process" to overhaul the country's correctional system, acknowledging that a significant portion of organized crime, including extortion and kidnappings, is orchestrated from within the prisons. The crisis underscores the immense challenge the Arévalo administration faces in tackling deep-rooted corruption and organized crime that continues to destabilize the nation's security structure.