Guatemala’s President dismisses Interior Minister after gang members escape from prison

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo dismissed Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez on Wednesday after the escape of 20 “high-risk” gang members from a prison near the capital sparked a political crisis in the Central American nation.

“In light of recent events, I have decided to make changes within the security leadership team,” the president said in a national address. “I have accepted the resignation of Francisco Jiménez as Minister of the Interior,” he added, noting that both deputy ministers had also stepped down.

Authorities announced on Sunday that 20 members of the “Barrio 18” gang had escaped from Fraijanes 2 prison, located southeast of Guatemala City.

Washington condemned the jailbreak, calling it “unacceptable,” particularly as the criminal group is designated by the United States as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

The incident has fueled public criticism of the government’s handling of crime.

“This is, in my view, the biggest crisis this government has faced so far,” constitutional lawyer Edgar Ortiz told AFP, adding that “the United States now sees 20 terrorists on the run.”

In response, the Guatemalan government has tightened surveillance in prisons and along borders with El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico, while offering rewards for information leading to the fugitives’ capture.