Guatemalan Government Deploys Troops Against Fuel Price Protests

The government of Guatemala deployed troops and police to break up roadblocks over fuel price hikes on September 11, giving protesters 30 minutes to disperse. The Interior Minister declared that the protests had 'mutated from demonstrations into criminal acts,' and warned that anyone blocking a road would be arrested and have their vehicle confiscated.

Defense Minister Henry Sáenz claimed that the protests were not demonstrations but 'coordinated activities with very dark interests.' Three army forces and 23 operational commands were mobilized to clear the roads, which had been blocked by 14 roadblocks in 10 departments. The Constitutional Court ordered the roads cleared within six hours under threat of removing officials who failed to comply.

The protests began after a price shock caused diesel prices to rise from Q24.92 per gallon on January 1 to Q50.89 per gallon by September 16, and regular gasoline prices rose to Q44.09 per gallon. Food prices also increased significantly, with corn prices rising from Q550 per quintal to Q600 in just three weeks.

Guatemalan workers are bearing the brunt of a US-Israeli war against Iran, which has caused fuel prices to skyrocket due to disruptions in oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The protests have been met with repression, and some have even accused the government of collaborating with the US on military operations.