On 30 July 2022, gunmen riding in a vehicle fired shots at the delegation associated with President Alejandro Giammattei in the La Laguna village, located in Huehuetenango department near the Guatemala-Mexico border. Giammattei — who traveled to the area amid the inauguration of a highway — was not with his entourage during the attack. The assailants opened fire after being stopped by soldiers at a checkpoint established because of the presidential visit. One of the gunmen — a Mexican national — was wounded during the gunfire exchange and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Other suspects fled toward the Mexican border after the shootout. Mexican soldiers later detained four Guatemalan nationals in connection to the attack and confiscated two rifle grenades.
Analyst Comment: Many organized crime groups conduct illicit trafficking activities along the Guatemala-Mexico border. The attack on the presidential convoy appears to be a collateral event rather than a targeted assault on Guatemalan officials.
