Authorities in Guatemala are facing a tense standoff with members of the Lev Tahor sect, who attempted to reclaim 160 at-risk children following a police raid that uncovered severe allegations of abuse. The children, rescued during a raid, remain in protective custody as the sect claims religious persecution.
Tensions Rise as Guatemala Police Prevent Abduction of 160 Children from Controversial Sect
Tensions Rise as Guatemala Police Prevent Abduction of 160 Children from Controversial Sect
A violent confrontation ensues in Guatemala as police thwart attempts by the Lev Tahor sect to reclaim children taken into care amidst serious allegations of abuse.
Guatemalan authorities are engaged in a standoff with members of the Lev Tahor sect, a controversial Jewish group, after the police prevented an attempt to reclaim 160 children who had been taken into care. The raid occurred on Friday at a farm owned by the Lev Tahor community, which is under scrutiny in multiple countries for serious allegations including sexual abuse.
Interior Minister Francisco Jimenez stated that the children were reportedly abused by a sect member, prompting the authorities to intervene. In a dramatic turn of events, sect members broke into the care center where the children were housed, resulting in clashes with police on Sunday as they sought to reunite with the minors.
The Lev Tahor sect, recognized for its extremist beliefs and stringent lifestyle, endorses child marriage alongside imposing strict punishments for perceived minor infractions. Members of the sect, which has faced accusations of enforcing control and abuse within its ranks, argue that they are victims of religious persecution by Guatemalan authorities.
The sect’s history in Central America began when they relocated to Mexico and Guatemala between 2014 and 2017. Despite previous arrests in Mexico regarding allegations of abuse, members were released due to insufficient evidence.
The events unfolded following the authorities' raid in Oratorio, southeast of Guatemala City, where evidence of "forced pregnancy, mistreatment of minors, and rape" was uncovered. Just two days after the rescue, around 100 relatives of the children, all sect members, rallied outside the care center to demand their return.
In a failed attempt to forcibly reclaim the children, sect members breached the center’s gate, leading to further intervention by police. Fortunately, the authorities managed to relocate and secure the children in a white minibus, underscoring the volatile situation.
The Attorney General's Office confirmed that following the raid, they had faced obstruction from sect members as they sought to confirm the children's safety at the farm. Estimates suggest that the Lev Tahor community includes approximately 50 families positioned across Guatemala, the United States, Canada, and beyond.
The Jewish Community of Guatemala has publicly distanced itself from the Lev Tahor sect, acknowledging it as a group foreign to their practices and supporting the authorities’ investigations aimed at safeguarding at-risk minors and other vulnerable populations.
