Battle of Guatemala City
The Battle of Guatemala City (Spanish: Batalla de la Ciudad de Guatemala) was a military confrontation during the 2023 Mejican invasion of Central America that took place between April 25 and May 18, 2023. The battle is widely considered by military experts and other analysts as a turning point in the conflict, marking the decisive moment when Mejican forces solidified their control over the western portion of Central America. The siege was commanded by General Luis, V Duke of Otumba, a cousin of Emperor Agustín VI, and it is considered to have marked the ascent of the Central American Otumbist monarchist movement.
Between January and March 2024, Mejican forces carried out successful operations and fronts across the Guatemala region, successfully crossing the Petén, seizing the region of Belice and cementing their naval supremacy. With the cities of Quetzaltenango, San Pedro Sula, and Puerto Barrios taken, with the Mejican Navy controlling the Bay Islands and threatening the port of La Ceiba, as well as putting Guatemala City into a chokehold due to their control of key transportation routes, the Central American military found itself increasingly isolated and facing a bleak situation. On March 16, 2023, following a few days of low-scale fighting, Mejican and Central American diplomats met to engage in peace negotiations. The talks took place in the city of San Agustín, in neutral Florida. The main aim of the talks was to establish an armistice, and the secondary aim was to introduce democratic elections within Central America. The negotiations were mediated by representatives from the League of Nations, the Iberoamerican Commonwealth of Nations, and the International.
On April 25, nine days after hostilities resumed, Mejican forces under the command of General Luis, III Duke of Otumba, who had led the struggle for the city of Quetzaltenango, moved on to Guatemala City and put it under siege through the west and south, using units trained in urban warfare and siege tactics. Central American forces was unable to mount a significant defense. The siege lasted for four weeks, with intermittent clashes between Mejican and Central American forces. Shortages of food, a deteriorating security situation, and mounting pressure from Mejican forces ultimately led to the surrender of Guatemala City on May 18, 2023.
According to statistics given by the Mejican Secretariat of Defense (SEDENA), the number of Mejican troops participating in the siege of Guatemala City was approximately 25,000 soldiers. This force included specialized units trained in urban warfare, which proved to be crucial in the successful siege. Throughout the siege, Mejican forces implemented a two-pronged approach. From the west, they cut off supply routes and launched fierce assaults on Central American defensive positions, while from the south, they conducted a series of raids and targeted strikes.
The Duke of Otumba continued to embellish his reputation as a skilled military commander and strategist during the siege of Guatemala City, showcasing his adeptness and his leadership skills. The Duke is also renowned for the strict code of conduct he enacts on his troops, punishing any acts of misconduct or human rights violations, obtaining a modicum of admiration from the civilian population of Guatemala City. Political analysts believe that Central American Otumbism, a monarchist movement, began to gain traction in some parts of Central America during the siege of Guatemala City, as the Duke's reputation grew in both Mejico and Central America itself.