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water out of recently fired artillery shells. As part of the course's finishing ritual, every recruit must drink "Bomb", a mix of tequila, whisky, rum, beer, water and gunpowder, served in a bamboo glass with a bayonet tied to it. Soldiers must drink it carefully, so as not to get drunk and cut themselves with the bayonet. Once they successfully complete this ritual, they are inducted into the
Kaibiles.
519:
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many years. We are talking of drug traffickers and criminals who want to corrode the country; they are better armed, equipped, and trained than the enemies we had to face in the past." However, under the terms of the Peace
Accords, the army was to have been restricted to defence from external attack, which would preclude involvement in the sort of domestic police actions proposed by President ArzĂș.
385:
to collect dew drops from leaves, as well as how to execute annihilation attacks, intelligence maneuvers, and penetration into enemy territory. During this stage, candidates must patrol through thorn-filled brush wearing nothing but underwear, roll around in thorns to fortify the body to pain, and spend two days in neck-deep water without sleeping in extreme tropical heat. This stage is called
22:
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training, basic air mobile techniques, small-unit patrols, react to contact, and ambush training. In addition, cadets are exposed to prisoner of war camp situations and survival courses. During the last stage, they are trained to eat "anything that moves", including snakes and ants, as well as roots,
379:
The first stage of training, which lasts 21 days, consists of theory instructions and practical military training, where the military and morale levels of a candidate are tested. It is followed by hard military training in the jungle, which includes instruction in jungle warfare as well as demolition
455:
The substantiation of the degrading contents of the training of the Army's special counter insurgency force, known as
Kaibiles, has drawn the particular attention of the CEH. This training included killing animals and then eating them raw and drinking their blood in order to demonstrate courage. The
415:
The
Kaibiles are infamous for their reputed practice of forcing recruits to kill animals, which includes raising a puppy and bonding with it before killing and eating it, as well as biting the heads off live chickens. In addition, recruits perform field surgery on themselves, and are forced to drink
477:
spoke of his intention to preserve the
Kaibiles in peacetime but to rededicate them to another war: the war on narcotics and crime. Addressing a Kaibil graduation ceremony in PoptĂșn, he said: "Now this new army of peace will face an enemy that perhaps is much more powerful than the one we faced for
367:
Training is extremely physically and mentally demanding, and takes place during both daytime and nighttime. Sleep is permitted for no longer than three hours a day, but only if the right is earned. The right to eat must also be earned; before being allowed to eat, soldiers must successfully climb a
355:
Recruitment is voluntary. However, several physical and psychological tests are required before entering. The training is given twice a year and lasts 60 days. Only 64 participants are allowed per training period, not older than 28 years of age. No more than 10 have graduated on a single period.
364:(which means "Hands of Storm"), communications, survival techniques, obstacle courses, military hiking, special weapons, demolitions and emergency medical training. This includes aerial operations, day and night navigation, camp setup and security, evasion, escape, interventions and ambushes.
502:"The army has refused to disband the Special Forces Training and Operations Centre, housed at El Infierno, in the vicinity of PoptĂșn, PetĂ©n." In December 1998, Jane's reported that there were three groups of Kaibiles, one consisting of instructors, and two consisting of 162
535:
359:
The commandos are trained in guerrilla warfare, counter-guerrilla operations, military behaviour, map reading, psychological preparation, military intelligence and counter-intelligence. Their training includes a special hand-to-hand combat system known as
371:
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extreme cruelty of these training methods, according to testimony available to the CEH, was then put into practice in a range of operations carried out by these troops, confirming one point of their decalogue: "The Kaibil is a killing machine."
128:
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operations. Since 1974, more than 1,250 soldiers have graduated from the international training programme, which has a duration of eight weeks. Of this number, 85% were
Guatemalan soldiers.
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419:
Even though in the past they were meant to be an anti-guerrilla unit, today they are oriented towards anti-terrorism, anti-kidnapping and anti-narcotics efforts, in line with current needs.
412:
means "brother") assigned for the rest of their training. They become partners: they sleep, eat, and work together all the time. If one makes a mistake, they are both punished for it.
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rope, do five pull-ups, ten push-ups and run two miles in 18 minutes or less wearing full combat gear, then duck walk to the mess hall, after which they are given 30 seconds to eat.
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forces: "To select, by means of arduous, difficult training under physical and mental pressure, members of the army capable of engaging in commando operations."
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and detection and deactivation of landmines, scuba diving, waterborne operations, construction of improvised training,
86:
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The commission's report documented examples of massacres of civilians by the
Kaibiles, most notably the December 1982
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498:
58:
614:
288:
253:
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447:, called attention to the brutalising nature of the training conducted by the Kaibil Centre in its final report,
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39:
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182:
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32:
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More recently, it has been alleged, some former members of the
Kaibiles have formed relationships with the
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765:"Facts about Guatemala's Kaibiles | Just the Facts - U.S. military aid to Latin America and the Caribbean"
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72:
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apiece. Each group was divided into four 38-men platoons, further subdivided into squads of 9 soldiers.
482:
834:
318:
489:, REMHI) to recommend that the group be disbanded in its April 1998 report, "Guatemala: Never Again" (
909:
568:. Los Zetas are a group of elite Mexican paratroopers and intelligence operatives who deserted their
444:
277:
54:
772:
206:
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238:
230:
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703:
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474:
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314:
299:
724:"Guatemala's Elite Special Forces Unit: Guatemala's Elite Special Forces Unit: The Kaibiles"
172:
553:. Eight Kaibiles and at least fifteen guerrillas were killed in the resulting gunfight.
532:
440:
356:
Members of foreign military forces are sometimes selected to participate in training.
324:. On 12 January 1989, it was moved to the former headquarters of Military Zone 23, in
79:
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610:
443:
auspices by the 1996 Peace
Accords that brought an end to the country's 35-year-long
805:"Guatemalan blue helmet deaths stir Congo debate - Democratic Republic of the Congo"
542:
538:
295:
285:
272:). Three months later it renamed it the Kaibil Special Operations Training Centre (
245:
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in 1999 and have since been hired as "enforcers" by the drugs traffickers of the
541:
force. On 23 January 2006, a unit of 80 Kaibiles failed in an attempt to capture
750:
Katherine
Ellison, Celebrity of Guatemalan Rights Activist Could Save His Life,
581:
573:
565:
21:
256:, is: "If I advance, follow me. If I stop, urge me on. If I retreat, kill me."
876:
577:
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265:
397:
325:
202:
127:
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503:
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216:"If I advance, follow me. If I stop, urge me on. If I retreat, kill me."
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now operates as an independent organization since its rupture from the
192:
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523:
Kaibiles serving as UN peacekeepers as part of MONUSCO in the Congo
470:
In December 1996, shortly before the signing of the Peace Accords,
391:
370:
335:
249:
657:"ShadowSpear Special Operations - Ranger Graduates Kaibil School"
633:"Kaibil, US Special Forces promote security through partnership"
375:
US Marines and Kaibiles during Southern Partnership Station 2011
609:
The first version of this article was modified and edited from
487:
Proyecto Interdiocesano de RecuperaciĂłn de la Memoria HistĂłrica
485:'s Interdiocese Project for the Recovery of Historical Memory (
15:
877:"Narcoviolencia en Tamaulipas: Los Zetas vs CĂĄrtel del Golfo"
853:"Mexico Fears Its Drug Traffickers Get Help From Guatemalans"
244:
The corps' soldiers are distinguished from regular troops by
348:, the Kaibil Centre's mission is to train and develop elite
824:"Guatemala and the Face of the New Sustainable Narco-State"
340:
Kaibil at a military parade in Guatemala City, 2 July 2024.
305:
Initially, the Kaibil Centre was located on two estates,
274:
Centro de Adiestramiento y Operaciones Especiales Kaibil
611:
Guatemala: Kaibiles and the Massacre at Las Dos Erres
268:'s military government created its Commando School (
212:
198:
188:
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152:
134:
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46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
936:Military units and formations established in 1974
831:Department of Anthropology: Vanderbilt University
237:. They specialize in jungle warfare tactics and
396:Kaibil special forces on a training mission in
527:Currently there are Kaibiles stationed in the
617:information request response document of the
8:
481:The Kaibiles' record and reputation led the
433:ComisiĂłn para el Esclaracimiento HistĂłrico
248:with patches bearing a blazing sword. Its
619:U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
679:
677:
518:
851:Thompson, Ginger (September 30, 2005).
787:"Kaibiles: training in Guatemalan hell"
624:
429:Commission for Historical Clarification
822:Fischer, Edward F. (11 October 2010).
708:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
701:
117:
404:During training, every soldier has a
313:("Gunpowder") in the municipality of
276:). The name "Kaibil" is derived from
7:
44:adding citations to reliable sources
545:, the deputy commander of Uganda's
451:("Guatemala: Memory of Silence"):
14:
291:leader who evaded capture by the
931:Human rights abuses in Guatemala
926:1974 establishments in Guatemala
903:
529:Democratic Republic of the Congo
157:
126:
20:
449:Guatemala: Memoria del silencio
31:needs additional citations for
570:Special Air Mobile Force Group
1:
437:truth and reconciliation body
941:Special forces of Guatemala
515:United Nations Peacekeeping
957:
499:Jane's Intelligence Review
254:Henri de la Rochejaquelein
264:On 5 December 1974,
235:Armed Forces of Guatemala
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183:Special operations force
557:Drug cartel membership
547:Lord's Resistance Army
524:
461:
427:In February 1999, the
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140:; 49 years ago
551:Garamba National Park
522:
483:Roman Catholic Church
453:
395:
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912:at Wikimedia Commons
491:Guatemala: Nunca MĂĄs
138:5 December 1974
40:improve this article
423:Human rights issues
346:Ministry of Defence
270:Escuela de Comandos
840:on 9 October 2012.
525:
465:Dos Erres massacre
439:established under
402:
377:
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239:counter-insurgency
231:special operations
908:Media related to
594:Ephod Combat Vest
344:According to the
315:Melchor de Mencos
300:Pedro de Alvarado
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207:Petén Department
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29:This article
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884:. Retrieved
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835:the original
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731:ghrc-usa.org
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689:the original
665:. Retrieved
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543:Vincent Otti
539:peacekeeping
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233:wing of the
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96:January 2013
93:
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38:Please help
33:verification
30:
886:10 November
881:40 Noticias
582:Gulf Cartel
576:. However,
574:Gulf Cartel
566:drug cartel
475:Ălvaro ArzĂș
387:El Infierno
307:El Infierno
199:Garrison/HQ
920:Categories
862:2008-04-27
695:2016-07-15
667:2012-12-19
642:2024-03-14
605:References
458:(CEH, §42)
408:(which in
389:("Hell").
322:department
311:La PĂłlvora
289:indigenous
145:1974-12-05
66:newspapers
55:"Kaibiles"
809:ReliefWeb
769:justf.org
578:Los Zetas
563:Los Zetas
504:commandos
472:President
445:Civil War
328:, Petén.
266:Guatemala
164:Guatemala
910:Kaibiles
704:cite web
588:See also
410:Q'eqchi'
362:Temv-K'a
350:commando
332:Training
227:Kaibiles
213:Motto(s)
121:Kaibiles
736:29 June
536:MONUSCO
293:Spanish
260:History
193:Brigade
153:Country
143: (
135:Founded
80:scholar
599:OR-201
398:PoptĂșn
326:PoptĂșn
298:under
229:are a
203:PoptĂșn
169:Branch
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827:(PDF)
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319:Petén
284:), a
250:motto
87:JSTOR
73:books
888:2011
738:2023
710:link
613:, a
406:cuaz
382:SERE
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179:Type
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286:Mam
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