06 Nov 2018 | 07:34 PM UTC
Guatemala: Student protesters block highways in Huehuetenango Nov. 6
Students demonstrators block highway in Huehuetenango on November 6 while marching to protest education budget cuts
Event
University of San Carlos (USAC) students and faculty took to the streets of Huehuetenango, blocking highways on Tuesday, November 6, in protest of cuts to the 2019 education budget. The protest began at 06:00 (local time) on the Pan-American Highway outside the regional capital at Piedras Negros and Xinaxoj. Another protest march was planned for 10:00 from Kaibal Balam Road to the Central Park of Huehuetenango. Governmental deputies are scheduled to meet with university representatives on Thursday, November 15. Related protests are possible in Huehuetenango and Guatemala City in the interim, particularly if discussions over the budget fall through.
Context
The Guatemalan government announced a reduction to the education budget for 2019 on Wednesday, October 31. Students have been organizing several protests in Guatemala City and Huehuetenango over the past several months over government corruption and the dissolution of an international investigative panel; rallies, sit-ins, and marches are common tactics of the student groups.
Advice
Individuals in Guatemala, particularly Huehuetenango and Guatemala City, are advised to monitor developments to the situation, anticipate transportation disruptions, and avoid public demonstrations as a precaution.
