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Más de 140 cuerpos envueltos en bolsas y sábanas aparecen en las calles de Guatemala: la guerra de pandillas que triplicó las cifras y desbordó a las autoridades
Más de 140 cuerpos sin vida aparecieron envueltos en bolsas plásticas, sábanas o sacos en las calles de Guatemala durante 2026. La cifra ya triplica el total registrado en todo el año anterior y convirtió este patrón criminal en una de las principales preocupaciones de seguridad del país centroamericano.
El dato surge de un informe del Ministerio Público al que accedió la agencia EFE: 137 hallazgos de este tipo se produjeron hasta octubre, frente a los 39 casos que la Policía Nacional Civil contabilizó en todo 2025.
El reparto geográfico confirma dónde golpea con más fuerza esta modalidad. De los 14 departamentos donde se registraron los hallazgos, el departamento de Guatemala, que incluye la capital, concentra 105 cuerpos dejados a la intemperie, la gran mayoría del total nacional.
Cómo explican las autoridades este patrón de violencia
Las investigaciones del Ministerio Público y la policía atribuyen el fenómeno a la rivalidad territorial entre pandillas que compiten por el control de puntos de venta de droga, además de represalias internas dentro de las propias estructuras.
La Mara Salvatrucha y el Barrio 18, señaladas como principales responsables, fueron declaradas organizaciones terroristas por la legislación guatemalteca en 2025.
“De acuerdo con las investigaciones y análisis realizados por las unidades especializadas, una de las principales líneas de investigación está relacionada con la rivalidad y disputa territorial entre estructuras criminales”, explicó el portavoz de la Policía Nacional Civil, César Mateo, a EFE.
El funcionario detalló que las motivaciones responden sobre todo a “el control de sectores utilizados para la venta y distribución de drogas, así como correcciones a lo interno de las propias pandillas”.
El desglose técnico aporta otro ángulo del problema. De las víctimas localizadas, 68 aparecieron en bolsas plásticas, 53 envueltas en sábanas y 10 dentro de costales, mientras el resto se detectó en circunstancias diversas, según el reporte del Ministerio Público citado por la agencia.
El rastro de un crimen reciente en Chinautla
A finales de septiembre, un hallazgo concreto ilustró el patrón que describen las estadísticas. En el municipio de Chinautla, a cinco kilómetros del centro de la capital, los Bomberos Voluntarios fueron alertados sobre dos cadáveres envueltos en bolsas plásticas a un costado de la carretera.
Las víctimas tenían las manos y los pies atados. Hasta el momento no hay información sobre los responsables, mientras la Fiscalía y la Policía Nacional Civil investigan el caso a través de cámaras de vigilancia, según el reporte al que accedió EFE.
El portavoz policial explicó a la agencia que la forma y las condiciones en las que se abandonan los cuerpos constituyen indicios clave. La Unidad de Videoforense analiza esas grabaciones para reconstruir las rutas de traslado y llegar a los responsables.
Ese trabajo ya dejó resultados concretos. Mateo confirmó ante EFE que las fuerzas de seguridad capturaron a más de diez personas vinculadas al abandono de cadáveres en sábanas y bolsas, entre ellas siete presuntos integrantes de la Mara Salvatrucha detenidos en septiembre y acusados de al menos 17 homicidios.
El dolor familiar detrás de las cifras
En agosto, dos jóvenes de 18 y 19 años aparecieron envueltos en bolsas en el sur de la capital, tras haber sido secuestrados en una cancha de fútbol cercana. Sus familiares los buscaron durante 24 horas antes del hallazgo. La escena desató el dolor y la impotencia de quienes llegaron al lugar.
El contexto de una ofensiva estatal contra las pandillas
El repunte de los cuerpos envueltos no se traduce, sin embargo, en más homicidios en términos generales. Según cifras de la Coalición por la Seguridad Ciudadana, organización civil, Guatemala registró 2,338 homicidios entre enero y septiembre de 2026, 59 menos que en el mismo período de 2025.
Este fenómeno se produce en paralelo a una ofensiva más amplia del Gobierno guatemalteco contra las estructuras criminales. Según datos del Ministerio de Gobernación, las fuerzas de seguridad capturaron a 750 presuntos pandilleros en lo que va de 2026: 516 del Barrio 18, 204 de la Mara Salvatrucha, 33 de White Fence y 13 de la organización de narcomenudeo conocida como Los Caradura.
La presión estatal incluyó también el desmantelamiento de 544 cámaras de vigilancia ilegal que las pandillas habían instalado para controlar territorios y anticipar movimientos policiales, de acuerdo con registros oficiales del Ministerio de Gobernación.
Esa ofensiva generó episodios de violencia que las propias autoridades vinculan con una reacción de las estructuras criminales. El 29 de septiembre, seis ataques simultáneos en Ciudad de Guatemala, Villa Nueva y Amatitlán dejaron varios muertos, entre ellos un médico y conductores de transporte público.
El ministro de Gobernación, Marco Antonio Villeda, calificó esa jornada como “atípica” y atribuyó al menos tres de los ataques a una coordinación deliberada para dispersar a la fuerza pública. Las autoridades investigan si existe conexión entre esos hechos y la guerra territorial que también explica el abandono sistemático de cadáveres envueltos en plástico.
bomberos,escena del crimen,vía pública,peritaje forense
Republicans are eyeing a rare Senate pickup opportunity in Minnesota, where GOP nominee Michele Tafoya is narrowing the gap with Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, prompting to move the race toward Republicans less than three weeks before Election Day.
It’s been nearly a quarter-century since Republicans last won a Senate election in the blue-leaning state. But Tafoya, a former longtime NFL sideline reporter, is aiming to break that losing streak by flipping the seat held by retiring Democratic Sen. Tina Smith.
A new Minnesota Star Tribune/KARE 11 poll shows Tafoya trailing Flanagan by just four percentage points. On Tuesday, the Power Rankings shifted the race to the right, from Likely Democrat to Lean Democrat.
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«The more that Minnesotans learn about me and my opponent and see what my opponent has failed to do over the last eight years alongside [Democratic Gov.] Tim Walz, they’re understanding Minnesota needs change. We need fresh ideas, we need an independent thinker and they’re jumping on board,» Tafoya said in a Digital interview.
Digital reached out to the Flanagan campaign for comment but didn’t receive a response at the time this story was published.
The race is unfolding against the backdrop of Minnesota’s massive welfare assistance fraud scandal, which has attracted national attention for nearly a year and prompted Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to abandon his 2026 re-election bid. The scandal has also become a central issue in Tafoya’s campaign against Flanagan.
Tafoya noted that «there has been historic fraud under this administration, where Peggy Flanagan, my opponent, has been the second-in-charge in this state. And not only was the money stolen, it hollowed out these programs that were supposed to be getting help, like kids’ meals or autistic kids or seniors who were supposed to be getting visits, health visits, wellness visits. And, so, that’s been hollowed out.
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«Walz understood that he was not going to win another term as governor with these conditions, but my opponent thinks she deserves a promotion. I think people are starting to realize she deserves a pink slip.»
Flanagan has said she is «incredibly angry with the fraud,» has acknowledged public frustration over the scandal and said more could have been done sooner to catch and prevent the fraud. The lieutenant governor has noted that she was not in charge of the state agencies at the center of the scandals or steering the daily state response. She has also distanced herself from Walz, who has accepted blame for the fraud.
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«It’s wall-to-wall coverage on every nightly news program here for months and months. We’re seeing it in polling,» Minnesota-based veteran national Republican strategist Kirsten Kukowski told Digital.
Pointing to Flanagan, Kukowski said she has «a lot of fraud baggage … and it’s really made the Senate race really tight here.»
Tafoya is also highlighting a recent spate of gang-related shootings in the Minneapolis-St. Paul suburbs and on Monday announced a five-point-plan to combat the violence.
«We will do more in our first eight weeks as a U.S. Senator than Peggy Flanagan has done in eight years as the second in charge,» she told Digital.
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«First of all, we’ve got to name the problem, and even Somali lawmakers and law enforcement have named this problem. We have a Somali gang violence problem. We’ve got to name it. She refuses to name it. You can’t fix it if you don’t name it,» Tafoya emphasized as she referred to Flanagan.
Flanagan, a progressive candidate backed by left-wing champions, Sens. Bernie Sanders Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ro Khanna, topped more moderate Democratic Rep. Angie Craig by roughly 20 points in the August Senate primary.
Tafoya grabbed over 50% of the vote in the GOP Senate primary as she topped a crowded field of rivals. She was heavily recruited by national Republicans, including Sen. Tim Scott, the National Republican Senatorial Committee chair.
«We did a really good job of recruiting the most independent-minded Republican who understands why it’s important to win in Minnesota,» Scott said in an interview on Fox News’ «Hannity.»
«Michele Tafoya has a story to tell. She’s doing a really good job. This is a race that will come down to the wire.»
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the top Republican in the chamber, recently teamed up on the campaign trail in Minnesota with Tafoya. But the Thune-aligned Senate Leadership Fund, the top super PAC backing GOP Senate candidates, has yet to make a major investment in the race.
Asked about national Republican support, Tafoya said, «We are getting small dollar donations from all over the country. We’re getting donations from every county in this state, and I am a happy warrior. And I will deal with the circumstances I’m given. … We’re going to win this campaign on ideas.»
Democrats are hopeful that popular Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is running for governor this year, may help push Flanagan over the finish line.
«Our latest poll has Flanagan with a strong lead, and we fully expect her to be elected to the U.S. Senate,» Lauren French, communications director for the Senate Democrat-aligned Senate Majority PAC, told Digital.
French argued that «Republicans are spending in deep red states and watching the battleground map extend around them. Their desperate last-minute attempt to push Minnesota into play is a political ploy.»
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Flanagan has repeatedly tied Tafoya to President Donald Trump, whose approval ratings are well underwater in Minnesota.
«Michele Tafoya is all in for Donald Trump — and he’s all in for her,» Flanagan reiterated Monday in a social media post.
Flanagan, who is Native American, also wrote on X, «My Ojibwe name is Gizhiiwewidamookwe, which means ‘Speaks in a Loud and Clear Voice Woman.’ I’m going to be Minnesota’s voice in the U.S. Senate — not Donald Trump’s.»
But Tafoya appears to be putting some daylight between herself and Trump, as she highlights her support for abortion rights.
«I’m a pro-choice Republican not afraid to stand up to my party,» Tafoya says in a new campaign commercial. «When Trump is right, I will work with him. When he is wrong, I will stand up for Minnesota.»
The ad was quickly criticized by leaders on the right.
Among them was Mercedes Schlapp, a senior fellow at the Conservative Political Action Conference, who said on social media, «Pro-life Republicans will stay home after watching this ad.»
But hours later, Trump gave Tafoya a plug, telling the crowd at an Ohio rally he headlined, «You have to vote for Michele Tafoya, who’s a very respected person.»
minnesota fraud exposed, minnesota, tim walz, donald trump, midterm elections, senate elections
INTERNACIONAL
Trump wishes Pope Leo speedy recovery after lung cancer diagnosis, speaks highly of pontiff’s brother
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President Donald Trump wished Pope Leo XIV a speedy recovery Wednesday following his lung cancer diagnosis, revealing that he is friends with the pontiff’s brother, whom he described as an enthusiastic MAGA supporter.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling from Arizona to Montana, Trump expressed optimism about the 71-year-old pontiff’s recovery following surgery to remove part of his right lung.
«I want to see Pope Leo get well. I hear the prognosis for that type of a problem. It’s a cancer. It’s big stuff. Anytime you have cancer,» the president said. «But the prognosis seems to be good, I’ve watched. And we just want to wish him our love and our best wishes.»
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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after a campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, on Oct. 14, 2026. Later that day, Trump wished Pope Leo XIV a speedy recovery following his lung cancer diagnosis. (Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images)
Trump then discussed his friendship with the pope’s brother and his wife, describing them as enthusiastic supporters of the president.
«His brother is a friend of mine, who’s a great — he’s a fantastic guy — and his wife. You know, they’re big Trump supporters. They have MAGA all over their house,» he continued. «And I can say that his brother loves him a lot. Loves the pope a lot, and that’s good, but I just want to wish him well. Get better fast.»
The president’s remarks came one day after the Vatican announced that Leo had been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer, following surgery at Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome.
According to the Holy See Press Office, doctors removed the lower lobe of the pontiff’s right lung during a procedure that lasted approximately 90 minutes. Doctors reported no complications.
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Pope Leo XIV delivers the Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
The Vatican said the cancer diagnosis was confirmed through an examination of tissue collected during surgery, consistent with findings from tests conducted before the procedure.
Leo had previously disclosed that doctors discovered a small lump in his lung at an early stage and recommended surgery. Following the operation, he awoke normally and returned to his hospital room after a brief observation period, according to the Vatican.
Pope Leo XIV met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Vatican City last May; Rubio has been lauded by President Donald Trump as someone who is able to bridge gaps in diplomatic relations unlike any other. (Vatican Media/Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
pope leo xiv, donald trump, vatican, world, religion
INTERNACIONAL
Tension erupts during House midterm debate as Lawler fact-checks New York Democrat opponent on immigration
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., faced off against Democrat opponent Cait Conley Wednesday night in a one-hour debate filled with interruptions and fiery accusations less than three weeks before Election Day.
Lawler is vying for a third term representing New York’s 17th Congressional District, a politically moderate area in the New York City suburbs that could decide the fate of who controls the House of Representatives for the final years of President Donald Trump’s term.
Lawler called out Conley for misrepresenting his voting record, Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act and her own stance on immigration enforcement. Conley, meanwhile, tried to paint Lawler as a Trump acolyte who put the needs of Washington Republicans ahead of the people of his district.
Their most heated clashes came on the immigration front, when the moderator referenced the recent shooting of an illegal immigrant by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents last week in New York City while the man’s 5-year-old child was in the car.
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«I believe that border security is national security and that we do need immigration enforcement to ensure that violent criminals and drug cartels and human traffickers and terrorist organizations aren’t in our communities and that they are deported,» Conley said.
«But what we are seeing right now with the conduct of ICE is posing a public safety hazard. To your point, last week, they shot into a car where there was a 5-year-old child. I’ll tell you, as a law enforcement officer, you’re not permitted to do that kind of stuff.»
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Lawler, however, pointed out the man has a lengthy criminal rap sheet and was seen by some as a danger to his community. He also argued the shooting would never have happened had local law enforcement not been barred from handing him over to ICE by New York’s sanctuary laws.
He said Conley «supports making New York a sanctuary state, prohibits cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials.»
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Lawler later pivoted the discussion to Sheridan Gorman, the college student from his district who was killed while out with her friends near her campus in Chicago earlier this year. The illegal immigrant accused of killing her was previously charged with shoplifting, but Chicago sanctuary laws prevent local law enforcement from handing him over to ICE.
Conley called Gorman’s death «an atrocious crime» while repeatedly pointing out it took place in Chicago.
Lawler attempted to intervene multiple times to call it «preventable,» to which an irate Conley responded, «Can I finish?»
«And I do support federal agents and federal law enforcement, federal immigration enforcement, making sure that we deport violent citizens,» she said.
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Lawler then argued, however, that Conley’s support of sanctuary policies runs counter to that.
«If you think he should have been deported when he was arrested for shoplifting, he should have been turned over to ICE. Under the new law that you support, he will not be turned over to ICE, and he will be released under cashless bail,» Lawler said.
It prompted the moderator to step in, telling Lawler there was no «cross-examination round.»
Elsewhere in the debate, Lawler accused Conley of having «literally just lied» that Lawler voted with Trump «100% of the time.»
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«I’ve been rated the third most independent member of my conference. And I have taken on the president on numerous issues, including lifting the cap on SALT, including extending Haitian TPS, including passing an extension for the ACA enhanced premium tax credit despite his objections,» Lawler said.
Earlier in the debate, Conley tried to accuse Lawler of supporting tax breaks for companies that build data centers as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill.
Lawler shot back, «I know you just moved here from Virginia, so it’s hard for you to understand the local communities, but the fact is … the provision you referenced in the Working Families Tax Cut Act is $80 billion for 100% expensing for every business in America to expense plant, property and equipment.
«Are you against our small businesses in the Hudson Valley being able to expense their plant, property and equipment and hire more people? Your attack on that rings hollow. You clearly don’t understand what’s actually in the tax bill. And part of the problem is you don’t pay property taxes.»
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