The country's Minister of the Interior, Marco Antonio Villeda, noted at a press conference that there has been no information about injuries or fatalities among the hostages so far.
According to him, the unrest was triggered by the actions of the Barrio 18 gang, which demands the transfer of its leader to more comfortable conditions with certain privileges.
Villeda also emphasized: "I am not willing to compromise with terrorists. I will not succumb to blackmail and will not restore their privileges in exchange for ending the unrest."
According to Reuters, such riots in places of deprivation of liberty in Guatemala are not new; however, the number of hostages in the current incident significantly exceeds previous cases.
The Ministry of the Interior reported that security forces, including the military, fully control the perimeter of the prisons and are taking measures to restore order and ensure the safety of adjacent areas.
