The International Transporters' Association (ITA) will challenge the agreement which regulates transportation of cargo and passengers across the border, considering it "harmful to the interests of the country (Guatemala)", reported the newspaper Prensa Libre on its website.
"We will initiate proceedings [citing unconstitutionality] against the memorandum because it violates the precept that transport is protected for its importance to economic development," said Artemio Juarez, president of the ATI.
The note, signed by Guatemala’s Ministry of Communications and Mexico's Secretary of Transportation, provides that transport vehicles with Guatemalan registration plates entering the border area must have insurance for damage to third parties, with value equal to 19,000 time the minimum daily wage in Mexico. Juarez explained that this equates to over Q7 590 thousand per month per unit, or about $970. "In contrast, the Mexican transporters do not have any minimum insurance requirements," said Juarez. Hector Fajardo, vice president of the American Chamber of Transport, said the new requirements are disadvantageous to Guatemalan transporters, not only compared to Mexicans, but to Central Americans, who are not bound by the provision.
According to Juarez in the border area affected by the regulation - Puerto Chiapas, Tapachula, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico and the customs area of Tecum Uman, Ayutla, San Marcos - between 350 and 450 trucks circulate daily, and an average of eight thousand tons of goods are moved, 94% of which are Mexican exports to Central America.
Source: prensalibre.com
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August 2010
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In meetings held between Guatemalan and Mexican governments, representatives from companies in the travel and tourism sectors were also present. It is expected that the agreement will come into force with the next few days.
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