GUATEMALA CITY – Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei revealed Friday that he tested positive for coronavirus while the Central American country eased the draconian restrictions imposed months ago to involve infections.
“The result of coronavirus control was positive,” Giammattei told a local radio station, adding that it had been reviewed six times during the pandemic.
Three days ago, the 64-year-old president took off his mask to deliver a speech to Congress for Independence Day.
Guatemala opened its airport to advertising flights for the first time since mid-March on Friday and also reopened its borders.
Giammattei said he had any symptoms similar to the virus, but said he planned to talk to the country about his fitness later on Friday.
Only a few other world leaders have shown cases of coronavirus, adding Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the president of neighboring Honduras, the pre-pandemic disease.
Guatemala recorded 84,344 coronavirus infections and 3,076 deaths (Report via Sofia Menchu; written through Laura Gottesdiener; edited through Frank Jack Daniel and Tom Brown).
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