The political situation that Guatemala is going through “impacts” the food and nutritional security of El Salvador, since the majority of vegetables, fruits and vegetables consumed in this Central American country come from the neighboring nation, the director of the Center for Consumer Defense (CDC), Danilo Pérez.
“The Guatemalan political scenario and context has a strong impact on the food and nutritional security of Salvadorans”Pérez told journalists.
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He confirmed that the price of some vegetables, such as potatoes, onions, cabbage (colle cabbage or closed cabbage) and güisquil (chayote), “has increased”.
For example, he pointed out, the net of between 14 and 15 cabbages had a price of 10 dollars (9.4 euros), now it is sold for 23 dollars (21 euros).
The director of the CDC indicated that, given this situation, “It is necessary to urgently look for how to import vegetables from the neighboring country, Honduras” e “invest in national agricultural production.”
Supply affected in El Salvador
Guatemala paralyzed its activities this Tuesday, for the second day in a row, due to the blocking of more than 100 roads by protesters demanding the immediate resignation of the attorney general and head of the Public Ministry, Consuelo Porras Argueta.
The Central American country remains detained in much of its territory, despite the fact that the local president, Alejandro Giammattei, warned on Monday night that the leaders of the protests would be arrested and the roads would be cleared.
The president of the Salvadoran Consumer Protection Agency, Ricardo Salazar, pointed out this Tuesday that “As this crisis lengthens, obviously national supply will be affected.”
He also told journalists that “Transportation times (of products) have doubled, even tripled, obviously this limits the quantity and availability of the products” in El Salvador.
Protests in Guatemala
The protests in Guatemala were called and started a week ago by the indigenous organization 48 cantons of the department of Totonicapán. Since then, various unions have joined, including universities, doctors and merchants.
The protesters are calling for the resignation of the head of the Public Ministry for trying to modify the results of the elections held last June and August, surprisingly won by academic Bernardo Arévalo de León.
The same president-elect accused Porras Argueta on September 1 of carrying out a “coup d’état” against him in order to prevent his inauguration in January 2024. EFE
