Members of the Lev Tahor fringe cult, attempting to escape Guatemala for Iran are finding themselves blocked by Guatemalan authorities.
On Sunday night, two buses filled with Lev Tahor members were stopped at the border between Guatemala and Mexico.
Guatemala news outlets are reporting that local authorities have acquiesced to the demand by Israel and the US to prevent members of Lev Tahor, accused of being sadistic towards children and attempting to kidnap youngsters, from escaping the country to one where local law enforcement cannot act against them.
According to the reports, following hours-long interrogations, the cult's members were returned to the village in which they live in Guatemala, and it was clarified to them that their names were given to all those at the borders, and any attempt by them to leave the country would be dealt with harshly.
Approximately 280 members of Lev Tahor live in Guatemala and hold only Israeli citizenship. Israeli authorities are interested in bringing them to justice, following a drawn-out chase. Meanwhile, the cult members are emphasizing to local authorities that they are being "persecuted" by Israel and the US.
Lev Tahor members are attempting to cross into Mexico in the hopes that they will be able to fly from Mexico to Kurdistan, and from there to Iran, where they will request asylum from the government. The cult members hope that Mexico will allow them to leave from its territory, and thereafter reach countries with which Israel and the US do not have relationships, and where they will no longer be under constant threat of arrest.