Eighteen inmates died in a brutal two-day riot by prisoners in a prison outsidethe capital of Guatemala.
The dead included one person who was decapitated and 14 others who were soakedin petrol and burned to death.
At least 30 other inmates were seriously injured.
The riot at Pavoncito prison, near Guatemala City, began when hundreds ofinmates demanded more visiting rights and the dismissal of guards.
The maximum-security prisoners first staged a small uprising late on Monday,seizing part of the 1,228-inmate prison. One prisoner was killed.
Negotiations were started but quickly broke down anda group of prisoners then captured Julio Beteta, who police say controlleddrugs and weapons distribution within the prison.
Inmates used makeshift knives and machetes to decapitate Beteta and thenparaded his head around in front of other prisoners.
The decapitation touched off a bloody battle between several different inmatefactions, and prisoners began using machetes to seize control of different partsof the prison.
Members of one gang rounded up 14 injured prisoners from another gang, dousedthem with gasoline and set them on fire - all 14 died.
Police in riot gear then stormed the prison and restored order earlyyesterday. Police director Mr Raul Manchame said no prisoners escaped during theuprising.