Guatemala Farmers Lift Road Blockade
Guatemala - Guatemalan farmer road
blockades were lifted on Friday, after an
agreement was reached with the government to
continue the negotiations to resolve their
demands.
A delegation of protesting farmers traveled
to this capital, while hundreds of people
kept the access of all sorts of vehicle
blocked in the regions of Totonicapan,
Retalhuleu, Suchitepequez, Escuintla,
Coatepeque and Quetzaltenango.
Five commissioners, appointed by the Farmer
Development Committee met in the capital
with Agricultural Affairs Secretary Juan
Alfredo de Leon at the Presidential House.
Although the only agreement was to continue
the talks on June 16, the roads were
unblocked to end the traffic chaos started
on Thursday.
In the meeting with the authorities, the
delegates demanded a 3,000 quetzal subsidy
(around $375) to 10,000 farmers for land
leasing, as well as a cease to all
persecution of farmer leaders among other
issues.
De Leon presented several proposals to the
sector's commissioners, but they did not
accept them, and only accepted to continue
the negotiations, according to official
reports.
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