Military Heads To Drug-Plagued Province As State Of Siege Is Declared

Declaring a state of siege, the Guatemalan government has sent hundreds of troops to a northern province to fend off a powerful Mexican drug cartel.

The government gave the army special powers to take on the drug gangs in Alta Verapaz province, reports BBC News.

The measures allow troops to hold suspects and conduct searches without warrants.

The army will try to reclaim the area from the Zetas drug gang, which has been expanding its operations from Mexico, said a spokesman...