Guatemala reactivates celebrations for its Independence

After two years of pandemic, caused by the spread of COVID-19, Guatemala reactivates the celebration activities for its 201 years of independence, this Thursday.

According to the authorities, several of the acts will be face-to-face. Parades, the lighting of torches and transport operations are some of the activities and measures planned for the celebration.

Thousands of people run through the streets to reach the city and light the traditional torches, a situation that generates alert in the traffic authorities, as explained by the mayor of the city’s traffic police, Amílcar Montejo.

“It is when the largest movement of torches takes place, which are almost 3,000 that come from cities, municipalities and even neighboring departments to the capital city. Coordination has been carried out with more than 700 municipal traffic police officers who maintain operations in the areas where this series of activities is mostly impacting,” says Montejo.

The official also explained that the school parades that run through the center of the city were authorized.

“We will have the most activities in terms of parades in the center of the city. More than 4,000 signaling units are participating in the operation of the PMT in Guatemala City,” added the mayor.

In addition, the government authorized a prolonged rest for State workers, a situation that will increase the influx of Guatemalans who travel to the departments, as estimated by the Spokesman of the General Directorate of Road Safety and Protection, Juan Carlos Aquino.

According to Juan Carlos Aquino, spokesman for the General Directorate of Protection and Road Safety, “a high vehicular load is expected as of today afternoon, in the same way taking advantage of the fact that they have rest from today until Monday, it is expected that they will also travel to the north and northeast of the country and also that many people visit the peten area without neglecting the south and southwest because many people travel to the beaches of the country.”

In addition, speed control or reduction operations will be mounted and the restriction of heavy transport was established to avoid road accidents.

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