Guatemala records an average of 7.6 homicides each day. Impunity stands at 92 percent for those cases. Gangs drive much of the violence through extortion and territorial control in the capital region.
Key Takeaways
- MS-13 gang responsible for 25% of homicides in 2022 urban areas
- Barrio 18 extortions led to 500 gang-related murders 2021-2022
- 12,000 gang members active in Guatemala 2023 estimate
- Femicides in Guatemala: 88 cases in first quarter 2023
- 2022 total femicides: 338, rate 5.3 per 100k women
- 90% femicides unsolved, impunity rate 95%+
- In 2022, Guatemala recorded 3,839 homicides, marking a homicide rate of 22.6 per 100,000 inhabitants
- From 2015 to 2022, homicides decreased by 58% from 6,621 to 3,839 cases
- In 2021, the homicide rate was 25.4 per 100,000, with 4,430 murders reported
- Impunity rate for homicides: 92% in 2022
- Only 7% convictions for 4,000+ homicides yearly
- Police corruption cases: 500 officers dismissed 2022 for violence ties
- Drug trafficking murders: 1,200 linked to cartels 2022
- Extortion economy: $500 million annually from gangs/cartels
- 80% of homicides tied to organized crime in Izabal port
In Guatemala, MS 13 and Barrio 18 drive gang violence, extortion, and impunity across key urban areas.
Related reading
01 · Category
Gang Violence26 stats
01
MS-13 gang responsible for 25% of homicides in 2022 urban areas
02
Barrio 18 extortions led to 500 gang-related murders 2021-2022
03
12,000 gang members active in Guatemala 2023 estimate
04
Gang homicides in Mixco: 120 in 2022
05
MS-13 controls 40% of extortion rackets in capital
06
Gang violence displaced 5,000 families in 2022
07
Barrio 18 clashes with MS-13 caused 200 deaths 2021
08
Gangs recruit 1,500 youth annually in Guatemala
09
70% of bus drivers pay gang extortion, leading to 50 murders yearly
10
Gang tattoos identified in 30% of 2022 homicide victims
11
Villa Nueva gang territory wars: 150 killings 2022
12
Police gang arrests: 800 MS-13 members 2022
13
Gangs control 60% of markets in Guatemala City for extortion
14
400 gang-related disappearances 2022
15
Barrio 18 in Zacapa: 100 murders linked 2020-2023
16
Gang violence hotspots: 15 zones in capital with 80% incidents
17
Extortion calls to businesses: 10,000 monthly, gang sourced
18
MS-13 women members involved in 20% gang violence cases
19
Gang truce failure 2013 led to 2,000 extra deaths 2013-2015
20
Petén gangs: 200 clashes 2022
21
1,200 gang extortion victims murdered 2018-2022
22
Escuintla gang dominance: 90% violence gang-related
23
Youth gang homicides: 500 in 2022
24
Border gangs (MS-13) 300 killings 2022
25
50 gang leaders extradited to US 2019-2023
26
Guatemala City zone 18: 80% gang violence
Interpretation
Gang Violence Interpretation
Here is a one-sentence interpretation that blends wit with gravity: While the numbers paint a stark picture of territorial calculus and gruesome scorekeeping, behind each statistic lies a fractured community, a extorted business owner, and a generation learning that violence is the local currency.
02 · Category
Gender-Based Violence22 stats
01
Femicides in Guatemala: 88 cases in first quarter 2023
02
2022 total femicides: 338, rate 5.3 per 100k women
03
90% femicides unsolved, impunity rate 95%+
04
Domestic violence reports: 25,000 annually 2022
05
Guatemala City: 120 femicides 2022
06
70% femicides by intimate partners or family
07
Sexual violence cases: 4,500 reported 2022
08
Alta Verapaz: highest femicide rate 12 per 100k women 2022
09
Child sexual abuse: 2,000 cases yearly, 80% girls
10
15,000 gender violence complaints to PGN 2022
11
Mixco: 50 femicides 2022
12
40% increase in femicides during pandemic 2020
13
Quiché indigenous women: 30% of femicides, underreported
14
Rape cases: 1,200 annually in capital
15
600 human trafficking victims, mostly women 2022
16
Petén: 40 femicides 2022
17
95% femicide perpetrators known to victim
18
Escuintla: 25 femicides 2022, rate 8 per 100k
19
Domestic violence homicides: 150 cases 2022
20
Zacapa: 15 femicides 2022
21
20,000 women sought protection orders 2022
22
Jutiapa: 18 femicides 2022
Interpretation
Gender-Based Violence Interpretation
Guatemala's femicide statistics paint a grim portrait of a nation where being a woman is a perilous occupation, with a near-perfect impunity rate that serves as a blank check for perpetrators known to their victims.
03 · Category
Homicides30 stats
01
In 2022, Guatemala recorded 3,839 homicides, marking a homicide rate of 22.6 per 100,000 inhabitants
02
From 2015 to 2022, homicides decreased by 58% from 6,621 to 3,839 cases
03
In 2021, the homicide rate was 25.4 per 100,000, with 4,430 murders reported
04
Guatemala's homicide rate peaked at 79.1 per 100,000 in 2009
05
In 2023 first semester, 1,392 homicides occurred, averaging 7.6 daily
06
Escuintla department had 58 homicides per 100,000 in 2022, highest in country
07
70% of homicides in 2022 were committed with firearms
08
From Jan-Jul 2023, homicides dropped 14% to 1,817 cases vs 2022
09
In 2019, 4,200 homicides, rate 24.5 per 100k
10
Mixco municipality saw 145 homicides in 2022, rate 45 per 100k
11
2020 pandemic year: homicides fell 20% to 3,450 cases
12
Alta Verapaz had 1,200 homicides 2018-2022
13
Firearm homicides: 2,600 in 2021 (95% of total)
14
Youth (15-29) represent 45% of homicide victims in 2022
15
Petén department: 450 homicides in 2022, rate 35 per 100k
16
2023: 4,000+ homicides projected based on first 9 months data
17
Zacapa: 120 homicides 2022, highest per capita outside capital
18
Males 90% of homicide victims 2015-2022 average
19
Chiquimula border area: 200 homicides 2021
20
2017: 5,150 homicides, rate 30.5 per 100k
21
Villa Nueva: 250 homicides 2022, rate 50+ per 100k
22
Homicide clearance rate below 10% annually 2010-2022
23
Jutiapa: 80 homicides 2022, up 25% from 2021
24
65% homicides in urban areas 2022
25
Izabal: 300 homicides 2020-2022
26
2022 homicides: 40% in Guatemala City metro area
27
Santa Rosa: 90 homicides 2022
28
El Progreso: lowest homicides 25 in 2022
29
Suchitepéquez: 180 homicides 2022, rate 28 per 100k
30
Retalhuleu: 110 homicides 2022, up 15%
Interpretation
Homicides Interpretation
While the homicide rate has been slashed by more than half since its terrifying peak, Guatemala remains a country where daily gun violence, particularly against young men in urban hotspots, continues at a crisis level, with justice tragically remaining the exception.
04 · Category
Impunity and Justice20 stats
01
Impunity rate for homicides: 92% in 2022
02
Only 7% convictions for 4,000+ homicides yearly
03
Police corruption cases: 500 officers dismissed 2022 for violence ties
04
Prison violence: 200 inmate deaths 2022 riots/gangs
05
Extrajudicial killings by police: 150 cases investigated 2022
06
Prosecutor overload: 1 million case backlog 2023
07
Witness intimidation: 300 cases yearly, 20 murders
08
Judicial budget: 0.3% GDP, lowest region
09
Police homicides against citizens: 100+ yearly average 2018-2022
10
Femicide convictions: under 5% of cases
11
CICIG legacy: 1,800 convictions before closure 2019
12
Mob lynchings: 50 deaths 2022, impunity 100%
13
Corruption trials: 200 judges investigated 2022
14
Forensic delays: 70% autopsies pending >6 months
15
Death squads allegations: 50 cases 2022
16
Jail escapes: 100 gang members 2022, leading to violence spike
17
PDH complaints against PNC: 5,000 violence/abuse 2022
18
Trial delays average 5 years for homicide cases
19
95% impunity for organized crime killings
20
Military patrols: 200 civilian complaints violence 2022
Interpretation
Impunity and Justice Interpretation
Guatemala's justice system seems to run a tragic two-for-one special, where for every murder committed a guarantee of impunity is thrown in for free, creating a self-perpetuating economy of violence where the only growth industry is getting away with it.
05 · Category
Organized Crime19 stats
01
Drug trafficking murders: 1,200 linked to cartels 2022
02
Extortion economy: $500 million annually from gangs/cartels
03
80% of homicides tied to organized crime in Izabal port
04
Cocaine seizures: 15 tons 2022, sparking 300 retaliatory killings
05
Petén narco-plantations: 5,000 ha, 200 murders guarding them
06
Clan del Golfo incursions: 150 deaths 2023
07
Extortions: 200,000 victims yearly, $12-20 monthly avg per victim
08
Puerto Barrios: 400 crime-related deaths 2020-2022
09
Money laundering cases: 500 investigated 2022
10
Mexican cartel presence: Sinaloa/Zetas remnants kill 500 yearly
11
Arms trafficking: 10,000 illegal guns seized 2022
12
Human smuggling: 1,000 migrant deaths/kidnappings 2022
13
Zacapa narco-ranch massacres: 50 deaths 2022
14
30% territory under cartel influence 2023 estimate
15
Extortion murders: 400 for non-payment 2022
16
Alta Verapaz poppy fields: 1,000 ha, 100 guard killings
17
Corrupt officials linked to 20% organized crime deaths
18
Bus extortion: 90% routes affected, 100 driver deaths yearly
19
Suchitepéquez narco-subs: 200 tons cocaine, violence spike 150 deaths
Interpretation
Organized Crime Interpretation
Guatemala is bleeding from a thousand cuts, each carefully measured by cartels in cocaine tons, extortion quotas, and hectares of stolen land paid for in lives.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Daniel Varga. (2026, February 13). Guatemala Violence Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/guatemala-violence-statistics
MLA
Daniel Varga. "Guatemala Violence Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/guatemala-violence-statistics.
Chicago
Daniel Varga. 2026. "Guatemala Violence Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/guatemala-violence-statistics.
Sources & references
49 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+1 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)