Guatemala
As El Salvador, Guatemala’s death toll has also risen for 2015. In January of 2014 to violence took a total of 484 lives, January of 2015 rose to 488.
In Guatemala these terrorist groups focus more on extortion, but also work kidnappings and bank robberies.
The rivalry between Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha can be well documented daily throughout Guatemala. Last month there was an attack at San Juan de Dios Hospital where three people died and twenty-five people were hurt… the reason for the attack? A member of the Mara Salvatrucha was being taken by ambulance to the hospital and members of Barrio 18 threw grenades in order to kill their rival, unfortunately collateral damage was not taken into consideration.
*Below is a video taken after the hospital attack (graphic images).
Guatemala is known to have the most organized Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha structure, in comparison to other Central American countries. The Mara Salvatrucha has the “Council of the Nine,” which has grown to have 37 senior members; Barrio 18 has the “Wheel of the Barrio,” which has 16 senior members. Below is the structure of these gangs:
“Ranfleros” – Senior Leaders
“Llaveros” – Pass on orders from senior leaders to cliques on the street.
“Sicarios” – Assasins
“Paros” – Collect extortion (aka “War Tax”), move arms, intelligence gathering, and recruit.
This type of structural system has allowed Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 to specialize their work in Guatemala. They now have groups that specialize in running the finances, groups to run assassination networks, groups the provide logistical support, and groups to represent when accused of criminal activity – they work closely with lawyers. The majority of the gang(s) inner-workings are from the prison; this type of structural system has endangered Guatemala’s fragile political system.
The video below highlights children trying to escape gang terror in El Salvador, Guatemala & Honduras:
Works Cited:
http://www.insightcrime.org/news-briefs/ms13-barrio-18-rivalry-increasing-violence-in-Guatemala
http://www.elperiodico.com.gt/es/20150318/pais/10075/Sube-a-tres-n%C3%BAmero-de-muertos-por-ataque-frente-al-San-Juan-de-Dios.htm
http://www.insightcrime.org/news-analysis/maras-in-guatemala-increasing-in-sophistication?highlight=WyJndWF0ZW1hbGEiLCJndWF0ZW1hbGEncyIsIidndWF0ZW1hbGEiLCJndWF0ZW1hbGEnIiwiZ2FuZ3MiLCJnYW5ncyciLCInZ2FuZ3MiLCInZ2FuZ3MnIiwiZ3VhdGVtYWxhIGdhbmdzIl0=
Central American Gangs, Barrio 18, Mara Salvatrucha, El Salvador, Honduras