Guatemala's President admits military involvement in Huité after two days of silence and orders an investigative commission

President Bernardo Arévalo acknowledged the participation of Army personnel in the armed clashes that occurred in Huité, Zacapa. (Government of Guatemala)After two days of silence, the president of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, acknowledged that Army personnel took part in the armed clashes on Sunday, September 27, in Huité, Zacapa, where eight people died. The president ordered the creation of a multidisciplinary commission within the Ministry of National Defense to establish the scope, the modality, and the circumstances of that intervention. Arévalo stated that the report from that body will be sent to the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP), which is investigating what happened in the municipality. "The circumstances have not yet been clarified," said the head of state during the La Ronda press conference held on Wednesday, September 30. The president of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, stated that a multidisciplinary panel will be created to provide answers about what happened in the municipality of Huité, Zacapa, where eight people died, including three women and a minor. The case left four men, three women, and one minor dead. The MP reported that it processed four scenes linked to the attack and collected 77 ballistic pieces of evidence, which will undergo technical and forensic analysis. After more than 60 hours without a public statement on the incident, Arévalo admitted that the Army had a presence in the municipality, despite having categorically denied it over the previous two days. The president ruled out the participation of the National Civil Police (PNC) during the clashes and explained that the agents arrived afterward, with tasks of supporting the investigation and maintaining order. "Regarding the Army, there has indeed been participation of Army personnel, of Army units," Arévalo said. A group of people dressed as military personnel burst into a sporting event in Zacapa, which triggered an armed clash. (Facebook)He added that the inquiries ordered to the Ministry of Defense will make it possible to determine "the scope, the modality, and how the operation was carried out in that context." The president also indicated that he instructed the defense minister, General Henry Sáenz, to establish a commission provided for in military legislation. The body must carry out internal proceedings and propose the corresponding measures in accordance with that institution's regulations. "The death of any person in violent circumstances constitutes a tragic event that obligates public authorities to conduct investigations" to identify those involved and determine responsibilities, the president stated. The president of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, acknowledged the Army's participation during the operations that left eight dead in the municipality of Huité, Zacapa, although he asserts that its involvement and the timing are being investigated. The Government indicated that representatives of the Public Prosecutor's Office have been in Huité since the night of Sunday, September 27. The investigative body requested reports from the Ministry of Governance and the Ministry of National Defense, whose officials, according to Arévalo, are cooperating with the inquiries. The new multidisciplinary commission must forward its findings to the MP. That document will seek to provide elements about the military participation and the actions of the units deployed in Zacapa. The Army had previously confirmed the deployment of J-8 vehicles and military personnel in the vicinity of the municipality. According to the institution's account, the units remained on the perimeter as a security measure and did not enter the town to avoid an escalation of the situation. Sáenz expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and said he had ordered the corresponding administrative inquiries. "Guatemala deserves to know clearly what happened, how it happened, and who is responsible," he said. The minister said the internal procedures will seek to establish "with precision the circumstances related to these events" and determine any eventual responsibilities. He also assured that the Ministry of Defense will maintain "full cooperation" with the Public Prosecutor's Office and the other competent authorities. Without giving further explanations, Guatemala's Minister of National Defense, Henry Sáenz, spoke about the events that occurred in Huité, Zacapa, after President Bernardo Arévalo acknowledged the Army's participation. "The investigations are ongoing, and it will be the competent authorities who, based on the evidence, establish what happened," Sáenz said. The official stated that the Army is subject to the Constitution and the laws of the Republic, and that its obligation is to contribute to clarifying the case.