Santiago’s municipal and police authorities closed the flea market on Joaquín Balaguer Boulevard at dawn on Wednesday.
The operation was attended by members of the Ministry of Public Health, the National Police and the Municipal Police, who proceeded to temporarily close the market, where thousands of people gathered.
Santiago’s provincial director of health, Norberto Peña, said that they have closed the market temporarily, but that they have a date to reopen it, because they have to reach a consensus with the administrators, because the covid-19 cases continue to return.
He said they would take steps to avoid congestion in other places, such as banks, supermarkets and shops.
The merchants had to go home with the goods. Then they improvised a market under the site, but members of the Police and Army prevented it.
The motorists and sellers complained about the closure of the market and described the measure as arbitrary, because today they hoped to earn money from dinner on Christmas Eve.