Some Q20 million ceased to receive the Superintendence of Tax Administration (SAT) for the blockade that a group of neighbors and community maintained for four consecutive days on the Bernal Díaz del Castillo Ca-2 East bridge and that did not allow mobility towards Customs Pedro de Alvarado, in Jutiapa.
While representatives of the organized private sector, they begin to evaluate the impact it generated on the production chain and the possible implications that it will have for both the local and the regional economy.
In the afternoon and night update this Monday, March 3, a fluency in customs operations in the means of transport was reported and the personnel were reinforced to expedite the efforts.
The merchandise had as its destination El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, the Central American Transportist Chamber (Catransca) reported, a sector that considers that there are impacts on the breach of the contracts due to the offices of raw materials, finished and semiteminated products, among others.
Effect to the Treasury
Edwin Orlando Cuttador, mayor of Customs of the SAT announced that he allowed heavy transport vehicles that were stranded since Thursday, February 27 in the Customs Pedro de Alvarado, Jutiapa that communicates with El Salvador, yesterday 8 hours and ten minutes later they were already attending to the first means of transport that transported diverse goods.
“To serve users, staff have been prepared to vent the means of transport that were retained and there are at least 20 additional technicians”
Edwin Orlando Curther, Intendant of Customs of the SAT
Preliminarily he remarked that an impact on the treasury; that is, taxes that were stopped charged was Q20 million, during the days that the unemployment of activities lasted.
To serve users, staff have been prepared to vent the means of transport that were retained and there are at least 20 additional technicians to provide support to users “and the facilities are maximized to be able to vent and if it is possible to work 24 hours of attention,” said the SAT official.
Customs Pedro de Alvarado specializes in attending heavy transport in the logistics connection “South Corridor” that is from Mexico to Central America and vice versa.
In a list of the main goods that move along that route are:
• Medications
• Food preparation
• Plastic manufactures
• Sauce preparation
• Bakery products
• Threads and cables
• Laminated products
• Animal meat
• Oil gas
• Water, mineral water, gaseada and with sugar
• Profiles
• Iron
• Machines and printing devices
• Footwear
• Vegetables
In the days of the block, the passage of perishable products and dangerous goods were allowed.
Count
Raúl Bouscayrol President of the Guatemalan Chamber of Industry (CIG), declared that the Pedro de Alvarado border is the main point of income and graduation of raw materials, supplies, as well as finished products and others between Guatemala and El Salvador.
“During these five days of locking, the paralysis of the production chain impacted the supply of food, medicines and other essential products, in addition to generating logistics cost overruns and affecting the production of multiple sectors”
Raúl Bouscayrol President of the Guatemala Chamber of Industry
It represents an important connection point with the countries of the Central American region. It is estimated that in this border post, customs income was Q2 thousand 38 million in 2024, which highlights its importance in the country’s economy.
“During these five days of locking, the paralysis of the production chain impacted the supply of food, medicines and other essential products, in addition to generating logistics cost overruns and affecting the production of multiple sectors,” he said.
He recalled that, given this situation, CIG, in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce, an amparo action was presented before the Constitutional Court (CC) last Saturday. On Sunday the CC granted us the provisional protection and on Monday the news was released.
Waleska Sterkel, executive director of the Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM), indicated that during the blockade, around 600 load trucks were stranded, affecting the flow of goods between Guatemala and El Salvador, as well as with other countries in the region.
“This interruption in the supply chain generated delays in the delivery of raw materials and finished products, impacting the productivity and competitiveness of multiple sectors, including trade, industry and agro -export. In addition, logistics and operational losses increased costs for companies and reduced international trade efficiency, ”he said.
Another worrying aspect was the prolonged exposure of transport units with dangerous goods, which represented a risk for population safety and the environment. The lack of adequate conditions for storage and transfer could have resulted in serious incidents, affecting nearby communities, he said.
Losses
The director of AMCHAM stated that, on the global losses estimated by the members, which, although there is still no exact figure of the economic impact of this particular blockade, similar events data indicate that interruptions on border routes can represent losses of up to US $ 20 million daily in commerce. Taking this background into account, it is estimated that a five -day block could have generated losses close to US $ 100 million for the different affected sectors.
While the president of the CIG said that an approximately more than 600 trucks that were stranded only on the border of Pedro de Alvarado is estimated. The interruption of commercial flow caused delays in deliveries, additional expenses, and perishable products that were spoiled.
“The import of raw material for local production was strongly affected. These blockages have generated a logistics and economic crisis that affects both producers and consumers, ”he said.
He warned that, according to partners, multimillionaire losses are estimated for these five days of blockages. These effects have an impact on the costs of the production chain and therefore make the prices of the products of the basic basket more expensive. “Guatemalan money is worth less when these types of blockages occur, since they buy less with each quetzal in their bag.”