In an effort to strengthen economic integration and streamline cross-border trade, authorities from Guatemala and El Salvador held a bilateral meeting to evaluate and improve customs processes in the region, according to a statement from the Guatemalan Ministry of Economy.
The meeting was attended by the Vice Minister of Integration and Foreign Trade of Guatemala, Héctor Marroquín Mora, along with representatives from the General Directorate of Customs of El Salvador, the Customs Superintendency of Guatemala, and the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA). The meeting was framed within the Deep Integration Process and aimed to follow up on the implementation of the Integrated Border Posts in La Ermita-Anguiatú and Pedro de Alvarado-La Hachadura.
Among the main topics discussed were the current status of operations at border posts, cargo and passenger flows, as well as personnel and infrastructure needs. Additionally, a statistical report on operations at the Pedro de Alvarado and La Ermita customs was presented, allowing the identification of opportunities to improve the efficiency of customs procedures.
One of the highlighted advances was the discussion on the standardization of service hours, including the expansion of 24-hour dispatch at the San Cristóbal Customs, which will allow greater operational continuity and competitiveness in cross-border trade.
Likewise, strategies were addressed to optimize immigration control and the implementation of the GT-SV license plate, ensuring more agile processes without compromising security. The importance of the Advance Declaration to reduce waiting times at border crossings was also discussed.
As part of the commitments acquired, both nations agreed to strengthen information exchange and adopt measures that reinforce security and transparency in customs processes, generating greater confidence in bilateral trade.
The Guatemalan Ministry of Economy emphasized that this meeting represents a key step for the modernization of customs management, with benefits that will contribute to reducing logistics costs and improving regional competitiveness. The implementation of these measures will streamline trade between both countries and consolidate a more efficient and secure customs relationship within the Deep Integration process.
Protest to Demand Road Repairs
At the end of February, the closure of vehicular traffic at the Pedro de Alvarado border, in the department of Jutiapa, Guatemala, was recorded by people demanding the repair of roads from their authorities.
This closure caused that on the Salvadoran side, in the district of San Francisco Menéndez, Ahuachapán Sur, there were about 12 kilometers of road with the presence of cargo vehicles whose drivers waited several hours for the circulation to resume to reach their different destinations.
The General Directorate of Customs of El Salvador confirmed at that time that the protest of the residents of Pedro de Alvarado was due to a demand to their authorities for the repair of the streets by the municipality.
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