Some 1,500 angry farmers in Guatemala have taken about 30 police officers hostage and demanded that an arrested leader be released.
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Guatemala tightens adoption rules ... taken hostage on Thursday in the town of Livingston on the Caribbean coast, police said.
Police spokesman Faustino Sanchez told AP news agency: "They told us they are going to kill them one by one."
The farm leader, Ramiro Choc, was arrested on 14 February and accused of robbery and illegal detention.
Jungle village
The farmers disarmed the officers at the police station in Livingston and took them by boat to the remote jungle village of Maya Creek, police said.
Mr Sanchez said: "We hope that after establishing negotiations we can reach some type of agreement or at least a more direct communication that will help us to get them freed."
Among those being held were the police station head, a police district head and four other commanders, local media reported.
Mr Choc has also been accused of inciting residents to take over land, including nature reserves.
(BBC)
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