[REVISION HISTORY]

Guatemala fuel subsidy debate and transport protests

Updated 18 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-13 00:04 UTC → 2026-09-14 04:37 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Following the termination of fuel subsidies on 31 July 2026, Guatemala has entered a period of intense social and economic unrest. Transport associations and cargo unions have launched widespread road blockades across several departments, including Petén, Totonicapán, Sololá, Quetzaltenango, and Escuintla, targeting rising fuel prices and the cost of the basic food basket. In response to intensifying protests by transport workers and indigenous groups, such as the 48 Cantones of Totonicapán, President Bernardo Arévalo proposed a mechanism to cap diesel prices at Q39 per gallon through the end of 2026. This led to the urgent approval of Decree 21-2026 by the Congress of the Republic, which established maximum price caps of Q39 per gallon for diesel and regular gasoline, and Q41 for premium gasoline. However, transport unions argue these regulated prices remain insufficient to meet their economic needs. As of 12 September 2026, the Guatemalan government has announced the successful clearance of 34 road blockades across the country, including the final blockade in Río Hondo, Zacapa, restoring vehicular circulation and public order. Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda stated that operations, conducted in coordination with the National Civil Police and the Army, prioritized dialogue but utilized force when necessary to comply with Constitutional Court rulings regarding freedom of movement. During these operations, 14 people were arrested and eight vehicles used to obstruct traffic were seized. While no fatalities were reported, two police officers were wounded by gunfire in Cuyotenango, Suchitepéquez. ~~Minister of Energy~~ President Arévalo has accused local politicians and ~~Mines Edwin Barrios reported that following the reopening~~ criminal organizations, including drug traffickers and gangs, of ~~roads,~~ financing the blockades to create national instability, stating the government will file formal complaints with the Public Ministry. Meanwhile, more than 400 fuel transport vehicles are moving to restock over 1,200 supply centers, with authorities expecting fuel supplies to return to normal levels by Sunday.

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