A Journey Interrupted

Luis Alfredo Rodriguez and his son are among the many Venezuelan families now stranded in Mexican border towns. Coming from Venezuela, the family migrated North in hopes of finding better opportunities and a more secure future. After passing through Guatemala, however, the family reported being extorted at police checkpoints and losing the money they had relied on for their journey. The story of the Rodriguez family is not uncommon. A 2024 investigation by Al Jazeera found that all 25 migrants it interviewed claimed Guatemala as a major hotspot for the extortion of migrants in transit. This pervasive exploitation takes many forms, and is one of the more dangerous obstacles in the northward migration route through Central America.

Types of Extortion

Criminal gangs  (or maras) operate some of the most pervasive extortion networks in Guatemala. Among the most prominent are Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18, which maintain a strong presence across the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Gang-related extortion has also led to the emergence of copy-cat extortion groups. These groups claim to be gang-affiliated to capitalize on the fear of organized non-state actors. Corruption within Guatemalan security forces is another reason why migrants are subjected to extortion. Police officers demand bribes, informal taxes, or sexually coercive acts, while threatening migrants with detention or deportation if they refuse.           

The Gangs’ Toll: La Renta

The most prolific gangs found in Central America, MS-13 and Barrio 18, operate extensive crime networks and extortion rackets that can drastically alter a migrant’s journey. These gangs are innately territorial, and many who pass through their spheres of control are subjected to “la renta,” a tax to the gang that permits migrant passage. In some cases, gangs kidnap migrants and demand a ransom payment from their families, often located in the United States. Guatemala contains the highest concentration of resident gang members in the Northern Triangle, making it likely for migrants to encounter multiple mara territories as they travel through the country.  Those unable or unwilling to pay may face violence, sexual abuse, forced labor, or prolonged captivity until the demanded money is obtained. Bus systems in Guatemala, one of the most common avenues used by migrants, are almost entirely gang controlled. Between 2010 and 2017, more than 2,000 people were killed in public transit attacks by gangs.

Ground Reality: The Case of Eliza

The widespread fear of Guatemala’s most powerful gangs has also created opportunities for unaffiliated actors to pose as gang members to extort migrants and local residents. One such case involved Eliza and her husband, who received an anonymous phone call from someone claiming to be affiliated with a gang. The caller described many personal details, including their home address, children’s and employee’s names, and insider information about their business, to intimidate them into paying. After reporting the incident to the police, Eliza discovered that the caller was not a gang member, but an employee of her own business, weaponizing “fear and impunity” for profit.

Extortion by Copy-Cat Groups

Between February and August of 2018, Guatemalan authorities led two anti-extortion operations that took down over 60 copycat actors. These takedowns likely encompassed only a fraction of the copycat activity taking place within Guatemala’s borders. Many victims cite impunity and inaction of the police as reasons for the under-reporting of extortion-related crimes. This climate of impunity enables both genuine gang members and copycat actors to continue operating with relatively little risk of punishment. The varied responsiveness of the Guatemalan security apparatus can be attributed to a variety of causes, including state weakness, lack of access to resources, and high costs. However, the Guatemalan National Police (PNC) have also been implicated in extortion schemes targeting migrants, further eroding trust in law enforcement.

Police Bribes and Extortion by the Security Apparatus

Corruption has long permeated all branches of the Guatemalan government. The security sector, however, poses risks for migrants and the safety of their journeys. Like the la renta imposed by criminal gangs, corrupt members of Guatemala’s security forces often extort migrants by demanding payments in exchange for safe passage. The experience of the Rodriguez family illustrates this dynamic. After passing through Guatemala, they reported being extorted by police officers at checkpoints, who exploited their authority to extract money. In another case, a local named Ines chose not to report her extortion because she believed the police were involved, and that they received payments from the local gang to “turn a blind eye.” Police involvement and police inaction work in tandem to foster a deep distrust in law enforcement.

Not Just Those in Transit

Extortion is not just a problem for migrants passing through Guatemala. Across the Northern Triangle, it is a form of criminal violence that has become a significant driver of both international migration and internal displacement. Extortion rackets greatly affect local businesses. Many residents report paying official operation taxes to the government, while simultaneously being forced to pay gangs to avoid their business being permanently closed, and to avoid violence toward themselves and their families. Workers in the food service and sex industries also face widespread extortion. Business owners report gang members demanding free meals, while sex workers have described being coerced into performing sexual acts for police officers or other officials. Gang members now use social media to track down victims, finding them even in the United States through this method. This makes an escape uniquely difficult and extends the reach of an already-pervasive regional issue.

A Global Human Rights Violation

For many migrants, crossing Guatemala was one of the most difficult parts of their journey Northward. Extortionists profit around the year, through schemes operated by gangs, increasingly by copycat groups, and by corrupt members of the police. Yet the problem extends well beyond Guatemala, with extortion described by the Regional Group on Risks, Emergencies and Disasters for Latin America and the Caribbean (REDLAC) “as one of the main human rights violations committed against displaced people and migrants” globally.