La Victoria: comerciantes de mercado 9 de Octubre se atrincheran ante intervención de municipio

A group of vendors from the 9 de Octubre Market, located in the La Victoria district, remain barricaded inside the establishment following a municipal intervention in the early hours of the morning. According to the municipality, the action was taken due to serious infrastructure and security deficiencies, while the vendors maintain they were not properly notified. VENDORS' COMPLAINTS During the intervention, the market vendors climbed onto the roofs to prevent municipal personnel from entering. They claim they were not informed beforehand about the closure and were surprised by the arrival of the inspectors. "We are willing to address the Civil Defense's concerns, but nobody is moving us from our workplace," declared a market leader. They also stated that a municipal truck destroyed the market's entrance door, which they consider an arbitrary act. MUNICIPALITY FOUND SEVERAL RISKS INSIDE MARKET Jorge Reátegui, the Economic Development Manager for the Municipality of La Victoria, explained that the inspection revealed structural risks such as faulty electrical installations, exposed gas cylinders, and corrugated metal roofing, which pose a fire hazard. The presence of printing shops and residences within the market was also detected, which is not permitted. The vendors claim there was no clear communication or prior meetings to address these issues. However, the municipality maintains that the association representing them has not renewed its registration with the Public Registry since 2020, and therefore there is no formal authority to negotiate with. Finally, the vendors have requested a meeting with the mayor to find a solution and avoid permanent closure. Meanwhile, the municipality is maintaining the market's closure for safety reasons.