Primary sources: Bernardo Arevalo post on X, Karin Herrera post on X naming the officers, Mingob post on X

A Guatemalan lawmaker and three National Civil Police officers were killed in an armed attack Friday in Rio Hondo, in the eastern department of Zacapa, President Bernardo Arevalo said^1,2,5.

Congressman Julio Cesar Portillo Paz was attacked at kilometer 137 of the Atlantic highway, taken to the Zacapa regional hospital, and later confirmed dead, according to police, UNE and hospital officials^1,3,6.

The Interior Ministry said unknown people carried out a direct attack and that officers responded in Portillo's defense; it said the Public Ministry is leading the investigation^5,7.

Vice President Karin Herrera identified the slain officers as Jorge Paau Xicol, Erick Armides Ramos Osorio and Fernando Reyes Aldana^3,5,6.

Hospital director Luis Alberto Najera Garcia said Portillo arrived at 17:45 Friday, underwent emergency surgery, and died at 21:58 from gunshot wounds concentrated on the face and skull, Infobae reported⁶. CNN en Espanol, carrying EFE, reported the same hospital account⁴.

On social media, Arevalo said, "We will not allow criminal violence to prevail over the lives and safety of Guatemalans," according to SCMP¹.

Guatemala's Congress posted late Friday that it mourned Portillo, a representative of the Zacapa district^2,3.

Authorities have not identified those responsible or given a motive^1,2,5.

Al Jazeera said Zacapa is known for drug trafficking and that the Lorenzana family cartel, with links to Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, controls the drug trade there². CNN en Espanol, carrying EFE, said authorities consider Zacapa a key point for organized-crime operations and that high-caliber casings were found at the scene⁴.

Infobae, citing EFE, said Interior raised Portillo's police protection from two officers to six in 2024 after he reported pursuits of family members, and that the three officers killed Friday had been assigned to his security^6,4.

Portillo won his seat in 2023 for Cabal and later joined UNE, led by former first lady Sandra Torres². Infobae and EFE via CNN en Espanol said Cabal expelled him after a La Union mayor accused him of seeking illegal commissions, which Portillo denied, and that he was proclaimed a UNE member on Oct. 31, 2026^4,6.

SCMP said the killing came about three weeks after former anti-corruption prosecutor Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppa was shot dead in Guatemala City; authorities have not established a connection between the two attacks^1,2.