LatinNews Daily - 07 September 2026

*Guatemala’s chamber of commerce, a private sector lobby, has called on the leftist government led by President Bernardo Arévalo to guarantee free movement in response to intermittent blockades and protests which have been taking place across the country since 31 August in response to the rise in fuel prices stemming from the war in the Middle East. While Guatemala’s national roads authority (Provial) registered 20 blockades across the country on 1 September, these have since been lifted, with the exception of one reported currently in the capital, Guatemala City. On 5 September leading indigenous organisation 48 Cantones de Totonicapán (48 Cantones) announced plans to stage a peaceful protest in Guatemala City tomorrow (8 September) but denied what it described as “false information circulating on social media” that it was planning blockades of national highways. On 3 September two transport associations representing bus companies and operators, Gremial de Transportistas de Rutas Cortas Extraurbanas (Gretrucex) and Gremial de Transporte Extraurbano de Pasajeros (Gretexpa), announced a peaceful traffic protest to take place on 9 September in the capital, calling on the government to address high fuel prices as well as insecurity facing bus workers. The Arévalo government has previously announced fuel subsidies in response to the rise in fuel costs.