Petén, Guatemala
Guatemala on Thursday declared a state of prevention in seven departments near the border with Honduras and has also reiterated that it will ask those who try to enter the country to be tested for coronavirus.
The state of prevention, agreed in the Council of Ministers and published this Thursday in the official newspaper, is for a period of 15 days and covers the departments of Izabal, Zacapa, Chiquimula, Jutiapa, El Progreso, Santa Rosa and Petén.
According to the justification of the Government of President Alejandro Giammattei, in these departments there is a risk of displacement of groups of migrants without complying with the legal requirements or health measures required by the country as the negative coronavirus test, Which would generate a crisis of public safety and aggravate the health emergency.
The Government maintains that the state of prevention was decreed to consider that with the movement of migrants “the order, governability and security of the inhabitants can be affected”.
The application for a SARS-CoV-2 test for those entering Guatemala has been in force since October, when the air, sea and land borders were reopened after a closure of several months by the pandemic.
Honduran migrants
The state of prevention limits outdoor gatherings, public demonstrations, shows, carrying firearms, the movement and parking of vehicles in areas that endanger the lives and safety of people, and the operation of public services.
In addition, it allows the security forces to dissolve by force any meeting, group and public demonstration that takes place without authorization, among other measures.
A caravan of at least 250 Honduran migrants began Wednesday night their hike to the Guatemalan border on their way to the United States, under the argument that there is no work in their country.
The migrants left San Pedro Sula, in northern Honduras, and aim to reach the Corinthian border as soon as possible.
However, between 1,500 and 2,000 Hondurans intend to join the caravan in the next few hours, according to the announcement made by social networks since January 1, despite warnings from Guatemala and Mexico not to allow entry of people mobilizing irregularly.