Twenty members of the criminal group Barrio 18 escaped from a prison in Guatemala, prompting an investigation into possible acts of corruption.

The Director of the Penitentiary System in Guatemala, Ludin Godinez, announced the escape of twenty members of the criminal group Barrio 18, classified as terrorists by the U.S. The escape occurred after a warning from the intelligence services. An investigation is underway to examine possible acts of corruption. This escape comes in the context of a government bill aimed at tightening penalties for organized crime and building a maximum-security prison to combat the rise in homicides in the country.