Guatemala's Alejandro Giammattei Unharmed After Gunmen Opened Fire on President's Military Guards

Guatemala's President Alejandro Giammattei was reportedly unharmed after his military guards exchanged gunfire with armed men on Saturday.

According to Reuters, an army spokesman said military officials stopped the vehicle as it neared a checkpoint guarding the presidential delegation during Giammattei's visit to the area of Huehuetenango.

The car's occupants opened fire on the soldiers, who responded to the gunfire. Guatemala's president was a mile away at the time.

Guatemala's government released a statement informing Guatemala and the international community that Giammattei was unharmed and was evacuated from the area immediately.

According to the statement, one of the gunmen, a Mexican, was injured in the gunfire exchange. The others fled in the car toward the Mexican border about 50 miles away.

The Guatemalan government noted that four Guatemalans were later detained by the Mexican military, with two rifle grenades also confiscated over the border in Mexico.

Guatemala's President Alejandro Giammattei Near Mexican Border

Rubén Téllez, a spokesman for the Guatemalan army, said the soldiers were manning a highway checkpoint to act as perimeter security for the presidential visit to La Laguna.

Associated Press reported that it does not appear that Alejandro Giammattei was ever in danger or was the target of the attack. He was also nowhere near the shooting. Human traffickers and drug smugglers, many working for Mexican gangs, frequented the area.

Téllez noted that the vehicle's occupants saw the presence of the military personnel and started firing. The gunfire exchange left one person wounded while the rest of the car's occupants fled toward Mexico.

A Mexico's Secretariat of National Defense representative has yet to comment on the matter. The Sun Daily reported that a large-scale investigation regarding the attack was underway.

Guatemala's Alejandro Giammattei's Ukraine Visit

Alejandro Giammattei has earlier visited Ukraine to express his solidarity with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He was the first president of any Latin American country to have visited Ukraine, with many hesitating to express their support.

The Washington Post reported that many Latin American nations have avoided expressing their side on the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

In a joint news conference, the Guatemalan president said they stand "in solidarity with the Ukrainian people." He noted that Guatemala "does not and will not remain silent," adding that the country will always be consistent with its words.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy thanked Giammattei for his support for sanctions on Russia and Guatemala's support for an international tribunal on crimes.

Giammattei visiting Ukraine has drawn criticism. Critics said the president has more urgent issues he should be attending to at home.

Guatemala has been plagued with corruption and human rights issues. The United States has earlier criticized the Latin American country for weakening its anti-corruption efforts, even canceling the U.S. visa of some of Guatemala's top officials.

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

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