Quake-Damaged Guatemalan Town Witnesses Mob Torture of Five Suspected Thieves

Violence erupts in Guatemalan town after earthquakes

Five men lynched in Santa Maria de Jesus

In the wake of a series of tremors that claimed seven lives, a mob in Santa Maria de Jesus turned on five men accused of breaking into homes during the night.

Background

• The municipality sustained the strongest shaking, registering up to a 5.7 magnitude.
• Authorities reported that half of the 27,000‑resident community endured structural damage.
• Power lines were lost and access roads were severed by landslides, forcing the government to deploy a humanitarian mission.

The incident

Police spokesperson Cesar Mateo confirmed that residents detained and beat the men, then set them on fire with gasoline.

“While robbery is illegal, lynching is also a crime,” Mateo said, emphasizing that vigilante justice thrives in a context of impunity.

Impact of vigilante violence

• Between 2008 and 2020, extrajudicial killings left 361 people dead and 1,396 injured across Guatemala.
• Mutual Support Group, a local civil society, cited the figures as evidence of systemic injustice.

Community response

The Indigenous Mayan community of Santa Maria de Jesus has faced isolation and damage, prompting a government aid flight.