Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo has declared a state of emergency in two western municipalities after a series of violent attacks left at least five people dead and raised serious security concerns.

The emergency measures apply to Nahualá and Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán, in the department of Sololá, following coordinated assaults by armed men on a military post and a police station. According to authorities, attackers also blocked roads, hijacked buses, and exchanged gunfire near busy highways. Some of the gunmen were reportedly dressed in camouflage and military-style gear, carrying high-caliber weapons.

President Arévalo said the violence is linked to criminal gangs involved in extortion and drug trafficking, who are attempting to push security forces out in order to take control of the area. He vowed that the government would respond with increased security presence, emphasizing that “the communities are not alone.”

The state of emergency will last 15 days and marks the first such declaration under Arévalo’s administration. It allows the government to limit public gatherings, protests, and demonstrations, restrict the carrying of weapons, and forcibly dissolve unauthorized or violent assemblies.

While the two municipalities have a long history of disputes over water and road access, Arévalo stressed that this incident was not a clash between communities, but a direct and targeted attack on state security forces.

Officials continue to investigate the situation as reinforcements are deployed to restore order in the region.