20 members of gang designated by U.S. as overseas terrorist group escape jail in Guatemala

[ad_1] Twenty members of a gang designated a "overseas terrorist group" by the US have escaped from detention in Guatemala , a jail chief mentioned Sunday.

The members of the Barrio 18 gang "evaded safety controls" on the Fraijanes II facility, jail director Ludin Godinez mentioned at a information convention.

He acquired "an intelligence report" Friday warning in regards to the "potential escape" from the jail, which is southeast of the capital Guatemala Metropolis.

Godinez mentioned they have been investigating potential acts of corruption.

Washington final month blacklisted Barrio 18, an El Salvador-based gang which has a popularity for violence and extortion, as a part of its crackdown on drug trafficking.

The U.S. embassy in Guatemala condemned the jail escape as "completely unacceptable."

"The USA designated members of this heinous group because the terrorists they're and can maintain accountable anybody who has supplied, supplies, or decides to supply materials help to those fugitives or different gang members," the embassy said on X .

It referred to as on the Guatemalan authorities to "act instantly and vigorously to recapture these terrorists."

In accordance with Inside Minister Francisco Jimenez, there are about 12,000 gang members and collaborators in Guatemala, whereas one other 3,000 are in jail.

The nation's murder price has elevated from 16.1 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2024 to 17.65 this 12 months, greater than double the world common, in line with the Middle for Nationwide Financial Analysis.

In accordance with the Salvadoran authorities, the gangs Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha (higher generally known as M S-13 ) are chargeable for the deaths of about 200,000 folks over three many years.

The 2 gangs as soon as managed an estimated 80 % of El Salvador, which had one of many highest murder charges on the planet.

Barrio 18 is among the largest gangs within the Northern Hemisphere, the U.S. State Division mentioned in a news release final month, including that the overseas terrorist group fdesignation "additional demonstrates the Trump Administration's unwavering dedication to dismantling cartels and gangs and making certain the security of the American folks."

More than a dozen groups have been designated as overseas terrorist organizations for the reason that begin of President Trump's second time period. The Trump administration has used the overseas terrorist designation to justify a number of deadly strikes on boats allegedly carrying medicine, together with a minimum of three off the coast of Venezuela.