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How does Guatemala punish land usurpation, and how many cases and invasions are there?

According to the cited documentsTo be confirmedLand and property

Penalty for usurpation (art. 256)

1–3 years' imprisonment

In forceCódigo Penal

The Penal Code (Decree 17-73) defines usurpation in art. 256, with imprisonment of 1 to 3 years, remaining on the land constitutes flagrancy and requires immediate eviction, and aggravated usurpation in art. 257, with 2 to 6 years. According to Prensa Digital 24-7, up to 2021 the Public Prosecutor's Office had counted 19,051 usurpation cases, against only 68 evictions carried out between 2017 and 2021. A CABI study for the Chamber of Agriculture estimated that the 2018 invasions took 0.6% off national output. AGEXPORT and Mejoremos Guate published a private protocol for responding to usurpations of private property.

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  • Penalty for aggravated usurpation (art. 257)2–6 years' imprisonmentIn forceCódigo Penal
  • Usurpation cases counted by the Public Prosecutor's Office19,051Through 2021Prensa Digital 24-7
  • Evictions carried out682017–2021Prensa Digital 24-7
  • Impact of invasions on national output-0.6%2018CABI
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Sources

  • Código Penal

    Decreto 17-73, arts. 256–257

    • Penalty for usurpation (art. 256)
    • Penalty for aggravated usurpation (art. 257)
    static.un.orgAccessed Aug 22, 2026Go to the source
  • Prensa Digital 24-7

    “Usurpación de tierras, un delito que involucra al crimen organizado”

    • Usurpation cases counted by the Public Prosecutor's Office
    • Evictions carried out
    247prensadigital.comAccessed Aug 22, 2026Go to the source
  • República

    “Invasión de tierras: la intranquilidad que acecha la propiedad privada”

    republica.comAccessed Aug 22, 2026Go to the source
  • AGEXPORT

    AGEXPORT / Mejoremos Guate, Protocolo para la respuesta ante usurpaciones a la propiedad privada

    competitividad.gtAccessed Aug 19, 2026Go to the source