Trump Effigy Explodes into Flames at ‘Burning of the Devil’ Celebration

Guatemala City erupted in flames and fireworks over the weekend — and so did an effigy of President Donald Trump.

In the capital’s annual La Quema del Diablo (“Burning of the Devil”) celebration, crowds gathered to torch towering figures representing evil spirits — including one that looked unmistakably like the American president, complete with horns and a smirk. Another float depicted Trump’s head fused to a monstrous, crab-like creature crawling through the smoke.

A Donald Trump pinata was set on fire in Guatemala for the annual “Burning of the Devil” pic.twitter.com/kILtR2EX1Q

— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) December 8, 2025

As revelers danced and bands played, the effigies blazed into the night sky — a symbolic act meant to purge bad energy before the Christmas season.

“This is how we burn away the evil,” said an organizer who goes by the name Diablo 1, speaking to Global News through a translator. “Every year there’s someone who represents corruption or destruction. This time, the ‘little tyrant’ from the United States deserved the fire. He has done much harm to Latin America — and to our Guatemalan brothers.”

The annual ritual dates back more than a century, when locals burned trash and old possessions to cleanse their homes of sin and misfortune. Over time, it evolved into a political and cultural statement — a fiery catharsis where effigies of public villains go up in smoke.

Trump has been a recurring figure in the festival’s flames since his first campaign in 2016, when his anti-immigration rhetoric drew outrage across Latin America. “It’s become tradition,” said cultural historian Ana Morales of the University of San Carlos. “Every time Trump reappears on the world stage, so does his effigy. It’s the people’s protest — through fire and laughter.”

This year’s burning comes amid growing frustration in Central America over President Trump’s renewed push for migrant crackdowns and trade restrictions, policies critics say deepen inequality and regional instability.

“Guatemalans don’t forget,” said Morales. “They use humor and heat to make a point — that the U.S. president’s shadow still looms large over their lives.”

The effigies’ flames, though quickly extinguished, reflected a deeper sentiment: for many across Latin America, Trump remains a symbol of oppression and arrogance — and burning his likeness is both a release and a warning.

As one reveler shouted, beer in hand, while sparks flew overhead: “Out with the devil — and out with Trump, too!”