Petén, Guatemala
Guatemala has enacted a state of prevention in seven departments near the border with Honduras since Thursday and also reiterated that it will request coronavirus testing from those attempting to enter the country.
The state of prevention, agreed in the Council of Ministers and published in the official newspaper this Thursday, applies for a period of 15 days and includes the departments of Izabal, Zacapa, Chiquimula, Jutiapa, El Progreso, Santa Rosa and Petén.
According to the justification of President Alejandro Giammattei’s government, there is a risk of displacement of groups of migrants in these departments without complying with the legal requirements or the sanitary measures required by the country, such as the negative coronavirus test, which would create a security crisis for citizens and aggravate the health emergency.
The government states that the state of prevention was enacted on the grounds that the movement of migrants “may affect the order, governance and security of the inhabitants”.
The request for a SARS-CoV-2 test for everyone entering Guatemala has been in effect since October, when air, sea and land borders were reopened after several months of closure due to the pandemic.
Honduran migrants
The state of prevention restricts outdoor gatherings, public demonstrations, shows, the carrying of firearms, the movement and parking of vehicles in areas endangering people’s lives and safety, and the use of public services.
In addition, it enables the security forces to forcibly disband any meeting, group and public demonstration that takes place without permission.
A caravan of at least 250 Honduran migrants began their trek to the border with Guatemala on their way to the United States on Wednesday evening, arguing that there is no work in their country.
The migrants left San Pedro Sula, in northern Honduras, and plan to reach the border with Corinto as soon as possible.
However, according to social networks’ announcement since January 1, between 1,500 and 2,000 Hondurans plan to join the caravan in the next few hours, despite warnings from Guatemala and Mexico not to allow people’s access to mobilize . irregular.