Clashes in Nahuala, a predominantly indigenous town in Guatemala, have resulted in the deaths of 13 individuals, according to local authorities. The mayor of Nahuala, Manuel Garchaj, attributed the violence in part to the actions of the army and residents from the neighboring town of Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan. The unrest has escalated dramatically in recent days, prompting President Bernardo Arevalo to declare a special state of emergency in the region.
Located approximately 150 kilometers west of Guatemala City, Nahuala has been at the center of a long-standing border dispute between the two communities, a conflict that has claimed lives over the years. President Arevalo suggested that organized crime groups are exacerbating tensions, aiming to provoke military withdrawal from the area.
Garchaj informed AFP that all 13 victims, aged between 14 and 70, were attacked while working in a local quarry. “We’re not making anything up here. I’m only speaking the truth,” he stated, emphasizing the tragedy of the event as he read the names and ages of those killed. In response to the violence, the community of Nahuala has declared two days of mourning, with burials beginning on Sunday.
In light of the escalating violence, President Arevalo announced a 15-day “state of prevention” in the Solola department, where both Nahuala and Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan are situated. This designation allows for restrictions on certain civil liberties, including the right to assemble and protest. Arevalo stated, “We are at a critical moment for the Solola department and for security in the nation,” underlining the seriousness of the situation.
He accused criminal organizations of taking advantage of the existing community conflict to exert control over the territory, thereby facilitating their illegal activities. Earlier in the week, there was a significant attack on a military outpost by these armed groups, which lasted for over 10 hours and resulted in injuries to seven military personnel. Arevalo clarified that this incident was not a clash between the communities but a targeted assault on the military.
The president’s declaration of a “state of prevention” aims to dismantle the criminal elements operating in the area. In a related incident on Thursday, additional violence erupted when an exchange of gunfire between the two communities left four soldiers injured.
The ongoing conflict has seen authorities previously declare a state of siege, despite attempts to facilitate dialogue between the disputing parties. This history of violence is underscored by a particularly deadly incident in December 2021, when 13 people, including three children and a police officer, were killed in one of the worst clashes recorded in the area.
