The fire that two subjects caused in an extra-urban bus on the old route between Palín and Escuintla last Wednesday shows that it is one of the most dangerous regions besieged by organized crimedue to the high commercial movement and because it houses two prisons from where the gangs operate, indicate investigators from the National Civil Police (PNC).
According to the version of events that the passengers gave to the authorities, two subjects boarded the unit and Moments later they demanded that they get off so they could throw the Molotov cocktails and start the fire.
PNC investigators indicate that they are analyzing images from security cameras in the sector to identify the suspects.
At the moment they have two hypotheses based on the first investigations: The first is that it was a retaliation by extortionists, due to the bus owner’s refusal to hand over a large sum of money. The second is that it was a rivalry between the transportation businessmen themselves over fare fights.
“As the investigations progress and when we capture those responsible, who we have already identified, we will know what the motive was,” said the police investigator.
High crime
Escuintla, like Izabal, are departments with higher rates of violence, due to the presence of gangs and drug traffickingand because they are highly commercial due to the proximity of the ports, maintains the director of the PNC, David Custodio Boteo.
Boteo specified that this year the theft of 24 vans between the areas of Villa Nueva, Amatitlán and Escuintla, and the capture of four people.
The police chief affirms that the criminal acts are the product of the gangs that operate in the region, mainly from the Canada Penal Farm and the El Infiernito prison, located in Escuintla.
“In these prisons there are gangs and kidnappers, but there are also the so-called imitators.” “They pose as gang members to cause more fear,” said the police chief.
He added that one of the refuges of the Barrio 18 cliques has been the María Matus neighborhood, in Amatitlán, from where they coordinate crimes against merchants and transporters, which is why they have carried out operations and raids to capture gang members.
Other factors
For the security researcher at the National Economic Research Center (Cien), Walter Menchú, the more prosperous a department is, “the greater the threat that criminal groups will take advantage of it.” to collect extortions”, because they have a broader group of companies that have the capacity to pay.
“Various types of businesses and transportation routes are the most affected by this type of extortion. The departments with the highest amounts and rates of extortions last year were Guatemala, Sacatepequez and Escuintla”he claimed.
In December 2023, Escuintla ranked second in terms of extortion complaints, only after Guatemala, according to the Diálogos Violence Observatory.
The same report reveals that during 2023, in Escuintla there were 1,335 complaints of extortion. The interannual rate ended with 138 extortions per 100 thousand inhabitants in that department, which represented an increase of 27.5% compared to the previous year.
Escuintla, Palín and Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa are the municipalities with the most complaints of extortion, according to Diálogos.
Actions
To combat extortion, the Ministry of the Interior implemented several actions, such as constant searches in the 23 prison centers, with the aim of confiscating phones and lists with possible victims.
As part of the measures, a special unit was created in the PNC, whose purpose is to investigate complaints of extortion and protect those affected.
Specialized personnel were also delegated who will be in charge of ensuring that visitors Do not bring any prohibited objects into detention centers.
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