Aca Traffic Snarls Up for Ten Hours

(Acapulco, NA 24 January) Chaos on the roadways and desperation among tourists, locals and drivers was the reality yesterday for over 10 hours, while politicians held their concluding political rallies in Acapulco. The Costera Alemán, Avenida Cuauhtémoc and Constituyentes were the arteries most affected.

PAN candidate Marcos Efrén Parra closed the Acapulco leg of his campaign in the downtown area, where 1,500 or so supporters marched in the streets. By far the heaviest disruptions came from the over 30,000 enthusiasts of the PRD coalition candidate, Ángel Aguirre.

Things started to go bad around 9:00 am. The main travel routes in town were completely closed off by traffic police until 6:00 pm. Drivers were sent over alternate routes and side streets. Many were simply stuck in the traffic for an unlimited time. Many abandoned their cars temporarily, contributing even more confusion to the gridlock. Walking was the only way to get anywhere for most of the day. A good many drivers said they were tired of politicians and campaigns. One said, “We citizens are tired of the politicians who do whatever they want, closing the main roads for their own benefit. The ones affected are we who get trapped here, suffering the heat and desperation.”