Boro Park and Monsey Families Stranded in Guatemala Following Protests

YS Gold 

A beautiful Yom Tov spent in South America has turned into a nightmare for a group from the Tri-State area, as they are unable to get to the airport three hours away from their location due to local protests (unrelated to events in Eretz Yisroel). 

BoroPark24 spoke with one of the men in the group, who explained that they spent Sukkos at a program in San Pedro La Laguna, a small town, about three-hours’ drive from Guatemala City. 

“Seventeen Chassidishe families spent Yom Tov at the Chabad here,” he said. "But following Yom Tov, as we were attempting to get to the airport in Guatemala City, locals closed all the roads with their protests.”

The protests began about two weeks ago, following one of the most tumultuous elections in the country's recent history. The protests are fueled by accusations that Attorney General Consuelo Porras has tried to prevent President-elect Bernardo Arévalo from taking office in January.

“The only way to get to the airport is through a propeller plane or helicopter, a service that is very unreliable,” our source said. 

Several options are being explored in the ongoing effort to get the families safely out of Guatemala as soon as possible.