Ecuador: Pan American Highway between Imbabura and Carchi remains closed in protest of citizen death in police operation

elcomercio.com reported Villagers blocked with large stones, the Pan American Highway connecting Imbabura and Carchi. September 22, 2014 19:07 From 06:10 until 19:00 today, September 22, the c arretera Panamericana, connecting Imbabura and Carchi in northern Ecuador, remained closed. The reason? Inhabitants of afros Chota Valley communities placed tires, rocks and logs, to prevent the passage of vehicles, as part of a protest over the death of Milton Ch. The native citizen of the Caldera commune, canton Bolívar died after being arrested during an operation control entry of foreign goods. The duration of the protest, the Ministry of Transport and Public Works (MTOP) recommended drivers and travelers who mobilized between the two provinces take the alternate route: Tulcán-Bolivar-The Angel-Mira-La Concepción-Salinas. This road, recently paved, is the only one that remains open after blockages, Omar said Chamorro, provincial director of the ministry of state. Similarly, the measure actually affected the expansion work of the Pan American Highway, which makes the company Panavial. Even Gabriela Espin, director of MTOP in Imbabura, reported that the construction machinery was retained by the protesters. Meanwhile, Karina Arguello, undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Ulises de la Cruz, Assemblyman Diego Carchi and Landázuri, governor, met with a committee of neighbors. Until 19:00, failed to an agreement to reopen the road. Read Article