The plan to block signals in prisons faces obsolete technology, corruption, and legal gaps
Guatemala
The plan to block signals in prisons faces obsolete technology, corruption, and legal gaps
The Ministry of Governance (Mingob) begins testing to block internet, 5G, and satellite signals in prisons, in an attempt to curb extortion. However, the plan faces technical challenges, legal gaps, and systematic corruption.
June 19, 2026
09:00h
The Ministry of Governance (Mingob) began testing a new system on June 18 to block telephone, internet, and other communication signals in the country's prisons. However, the strategy faces at least three obstacles: criminal technology that has evolved faster than that of the state, reports of corruption within the Penitentiary System, and legal gaps in involving all internet providers.
The Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Karen Ortiz, reported on Monday, June 15, that the equipment used for the tests has already entered the country and been installed, while programming processes with service provider companies are being completed.
"The equipment comes from abroad, and we are finalizing system-level programming that must be done with the service provider companies," explained the official, who also indicated that work is being done on around 20 technical aspects related to signal inhibition within detention centers.
For security reasons, details were not disclosed, but it was officially known that the technical tests were carried out in 10 prison centers with temporary equipment and specialized software.
In February 2026, then Deputy Minister of Technology William Cameros estimated that implementing signal jammers would cost about Q2 million per month to cover 15 preventive centers.
Equipment operational but limited to 3G technology
During a summons on Thursday, June 18, by deputy José Chic, the Deputy Director of Information Technology of the Penitentiary System, Daniel Edelmann, revealed that there are currently 53 signal jammers distributed in five of the 15 prison centers in the system, and all are operational.
However, he acknowledged that this equipment was designed for technologies that have already become obsolete.
"The signal jammer currently implemented covers up to 3G frequencies, and we know that the technology we have today is 4G and 5G, so it does not block it completely," he stated.
According to him, this limitation is precisely why the Government is testing a new generation of equipment that aims to block networks, wifi, radio frequencies, and other forms of communication currently used.
The statements coincide with warnings made by Ortiz about the need to update state tools in the face of technologies detected during raids, including wireless connections and satellite internet.
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Starlink, 5G, and high-end phones
For Chic, the problem is that criminal structures have managed to modernize their communication systems faster than the state.
The congressman recalled that the equipment is already obsolete because Starlink devices continue to be found, surpassing what he describes as "attempts" by authorities to limit them.
The legislator argued that groups linked to organized crime continue to use smartphones and other mechanisms to maintain illicit communications, and went further by questioning the authorities' response.
"If there is technical capacity to restrict content or signals in other areas, such as football events, the question is why it has not been applied with the same effectiveness to combat crimes that continue to be coordinated from prisons," Chic questioned.
"It is not only about signal blocking; we also need to evolve in other controls, such as X-rays and scanners," added Eddy Morales, former director of the Penitentiary System, when consulted on the matter.
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The problem goes beyond technology
Beyond the discussion about 4G, 5G, or satellite internet networks, Chic insisted that one of the main challenges remains preventing criminal structures from finding support within the prisons themselves.
According to him, the presence of technological equipment, antennas, and communication systems within prisons necessarily requires some level of internal collaboration.
"When Starlink antennas have appeared inside prisons, there must be participation of Penitentiary System guards," he asserted.
The deputy also pointed out that any investment could fail if corruption within the Penitentiary System is not combated.
"It is useless to invest millions in technology if someone can turn off the equipment, cut a cable, or allow the entry of devices," Chic said.
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"The Penitentiary System lacks efficient human resources; if there is corruption, technology is useless," added Morales.
In his view, these internal extortion mechanisms are part of a criminal economy that also facilitates illicit communications and criminal operations abroad.
Finally, Morales warned that without capacity and effective control, current measures will not have a sustained impact. "Without trained personnel and effective control of blockades, we will return to the same old ways," he emphasized.
A pending legal gap
Ortiz also noted that the Government submitted observations to a bill that seeks to transfer blocking responsibilities not only to telephone companies but also to internet providers.
However, she acknowledged an additional difficulty: Guatemala does not have a complete registry of internet providers, which complicates supervision and the application of blocking measures.
The official explained that the solutions being analyzed include mechanisms that could be applied directly from the servers of the provider companies, without the need to install visible equipment inside the prisons.
The Superintendent of Telecommunications, Herbert Rubio, pointed out that current regulations face a "double problem" in identifying users of mobile services, as, according to him, the user provides the data when contracting the service, but the operator is not obligated to verify it.
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"There is no registry that allows us to determine today who owns a terminal," he stated.
Rubio also emphasized that, legally, there is no express obligation for operators to block signals in prisons.
"We have no obligation to block signals in prisons," he indicated, although he added that "we could legally analyze actions, but that must be reviewed."
Furthermore, he explained that although companies have assigned frequency bands, it is not possible to determine with certainty which ones are being used at a specific time.
