Guatemalan MP Julio César Portillo Paz and three police officers were killed in an armed attack in Río Hondo, Zacapa department, on Friday, 6 November. President Bernardo Arévalo condemned the facts and asked the security forces to cooperate fully with the Public Prosecutor’s Office in identifying those responsible.
An attack in the department represented by the elected
Julio César Portillo Paz represented Zacapa in Congress and belonged to the National Unity of Hope, ONE. He was seriously injured and transported to the hospital before his death was confirmed. The Congress then published its condolences and condemned the attack.
The Ministry of the Interior places the facts at km 137, in the jurisdiction of Río Hondo. According to his report, the police responded to protect the MP. The authors were not identified in this first institutional report.
Arévalo requests cooperation with the prosecution service
Bernardo Arévalo paid tribute to the three officers who had died in service in his public reaction on Saturday, November 7. It instructed the security forces to assist the prosecution to clarify the circumstances and to find those responsible. The prosecution is responsible for conducting the investigation.
Vice-President Karin Herrera also expressed her condolences to the families of the police and the parliamentarian. The authorities describe these deaths as the result of the same attack, not as separate incidents.
The motive remains to be established
Early announcements indicated that the MP was still receiving care. The subsequent confirmation of his death explains the evolution of the records. Four people were killed: the parliamentarian and three National Civil Police officers.
The official communications consulted do not specify the motive or identity of the attackers. They therefore do not allow the attack to be attributed to an organization or political opponent. The investigation has yet to establish these elements.
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