Guatemalan exports disrupted by protests

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Guatemala Produce Trade Association (GPTA) said: “For the last week, Guatemalan exports have been persistently obstructed due to the protests that are impacting several aspects of the supply chain of fruits and vegetables. Local news in Guatemala has stated that the political protests and demonstrations have intensified and resulted in the closing of several roads across the country and causing road blockades that have triggered fuel shortages in some regions and making logistics/traffic very difficult on major highways.

“Unfortunately, the chaos has forced many maritime and trucking companies in Guatemala to reconsider and restructure operational strategies until they can secure measures that can be implemented to protect the Guatemalan people and the lives of those operating transits and logistics.”

The US is a major importer of produce from Guatemala.