A Guatemalan congressman and three police officers have been killed in an armed attack in the eastern department of Zacapa, authorities confirmed.

The attack on Friday targeted Congressman Julio Portillo in the town of Rio Hondo. Zacapa is a region known for drug trafficking activity and is controlled by the Lorenzana family cartel, which has links to Mexico's Sinaloa cartel.

Portillo was initially taken to hospital with serious injuries. His death was later confirmed by the National Unity of Hope party, known as UNE, to which he belonged.

"President Luis Contreras, members of the Board of Directors and lawmakers mourn the tragic passing of Congressman Julio Cesar Portillo Paz, representative of the Zacapa district," Guatemala's Congress posted late Friday on X.

President Bernardo Arevalo said the three National Civil Police officers killed in the attack had died in the line of duty. He instructed security forces to cooperate with prosecutors investigating the killings.

Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the attack or identified those responsible.

Portillo won his congressional seat in 2023 representing the opposition party Cabal, but had since switched to the National Unity of Hope party, led by former First Lady Sandra Torres. Torres is expected to run for president in Guatemala's elections next year.

The killings come approximately three weeks after former anticorruption prosecutor Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppa was shot dead in Guatemala City. That case heightened concerns about organised crime's influence and the possible return of politically motivated assassinations.

Authorities have not established a connection between the two attacks.