Guatemala carriers have blocked passage through customs posts at Pedro de Alvarado, Jutiapa, in protest against the excessive slowness of procedures for entering El Salvador.
The slowness of customs formalities as a result of the computer system crash caused some 300 carriers to form a blockade using their trucks from Sunday February 28th on the route to the customs office in Ciudad Pedro de Alvarado, located in Moyuta, in the Guatemalan department of Jutiapa, on the border with El Salvador.
Both governments announced that they have signed an agreement to unify customs in order to expedite the transport of vehicles and people, with effect from 1 June.
With this agreement, it is expected that the border between the two nations will be fully liberated for both freight and passengers in December. Immigration procedures will be carried out online or in an office to be located near the border area.
Transporting a truckload from Guatemala to Costa Rica takes four days, when the journey could be completed in 30 hours.
The Business Committee for Customs Union launched a campaign to accelerate and complete the integration, attacking in particular mental and cultural barriers which persist in economic actors and in the general population.
An article in Prensalibre.com reported that the president of the Business Committee, Adam Aquino, claimed, “Not being able to facilitate trade results in losses and high costs for Central American consumers. The main causes for slow cargo movement between El Salvador and Guatemala, is the different interpretation officials make of the legal instruments approved by the customs union.
The strike that began on Wednesday by customs agents was ended yesterday afternoon.
The shut-down of customs affected the entrance and exit of goods and merchandise at all borders and ports in the country, leaving losses in the amount of nearly $100 million.
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