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According to various Guatemalan news sources, the protests which threatened to disrupt services yet again today ended peacefully late yesterday with an agreement. According to the Prensa Libre, Vice President Eduardo Stein reached an agreement with the union leaders after seven hours of negotiations. This agreement is only the beginning as it was just an offering to sit down an go deeper into the issues the union feels need to be addressed.
An interesting note found in the Prensa Libre said:
Some of the people interviewed affirmed not to know which was the reason for the protest, but showed that the poverty watches them.
There is such a backlash against the government due to the increasing discrepancy in those who have and those who have not. Many people who came out to join the protests did so not even knowing what basic demands were being made by the leaders.
Throughout the media, you may see pictures of police in riot gear and burning tires and such but don’t let that trick you into thinking that this incident was more than it was. From reports on all sides of the spectrum, this was a very peaceful protest. The crowds tried to block Roosevelt Boulevard (THE main thoroughfare in Guatemala city) but were unsuccessful. Throughout the country, attempts were made to block CA-1 or the InterAmerican Highway and again were unsuccessful. There was an incident toward the Pacific Ocean near Escuintla where tensions and misunderstanding led to the injury of three protesters. Overall 27 people were arrested but their release was a condition of the agreement.
All of this to say that things should be back to normal today and it looks as thought the airport is safe from a shut down. Now if only we could make sure that protests here by airline employees don’t keep you from flying south!
