Today, around 200 informal street vendors held a protest outside the Municipality of Santa Anita, since the commune would have prohibited any commercial activity on the streets of the district, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
However, the street vendors have demanded that they be allowed to sell, since they have the correct safety protectors, such as rompers, masks, face shields and alcohol, in addition to the rapid tests they underwent being negative.
They also pointed out that this is the second time that they are protesting that they are allowed to sell on the streets and that they feel cheated by the mayor, since he would have told them that if they complied with the security protocols they could return to work.
However, the mayor of the commune, Josè Nole pointed out that he would have proposed to informal merchants, to be able to sell in a traveling market, if they are formalized, to which they refused to this request, reason why the merchants and the commune would not have reached any agreement.
Likewise, the mayor of the commune also said that he cannot allow street vendors to exist, because many neighborhood councils are afraid that with this activity the coronavirus will spread throughout the district.
He also stressed that a group of street traders have agreed to formalize to be able to work with the tools and adequate security, but that there is a group that threatens the traders so that they do not formalize.
On the other hand, Nole affirmed that he would not expose himself to a criminal complaint, for exposing the lives of citizens for allowing outpatient commerce, he wants to support merchants but without exposing the health of citizens.