Crowds and people without masks in Pase del Niño in Riobamba

Through photographs and live broadcasts on social networks, dozens of people ready to participate in the traditional passes of the Niño Rey de Reyes could be observed in different sectors of Riobamba, Chimborazo province.

In the streets of the city, people were observed to witness the passes, such as those who were going to intervene in the comparsas, some of them even without even wearing their masks.

Meanwhile, it was evidenced that in the Licán parish the image of the Divine Child was accompanied in the procession by the town band, priostes, as well as people who attended the celebration without keeping due distance. The Eucharist took place outside the church.

Before the end of the mass, the president of the parish council of Licán, Diego León, thanked the priostes, the parish priest and the people, but made the announcement that the celebration was suspended because of COVID it had to be done virtually and that on the contrary, there are many people crowded together, which he regretted.

Through telephone contact with this medium, the Chimborazo Police Intendant, Eduardo Vistín, assured that some passes of the Niño Rey de Reyes that were going to take place this Tuesday in different sectors of the Riobamba canton were suspended.

He assured that it took them a little more work to suspend the Licán event, where they were at noon and that it was evident that there were more than 500 people. This religious act, not having permission, was requested to be suspended, for which it was expected that the mass would end, but there was the rejection of the people gathered in the place, even with epithets of annoyance.

“There was a time when we thought it was going to get out of hand, but advantageously we were able to take order and definitively suspend the event and the people proceeded to withdraw,” said the Police Intendant.

Vistín said that in other places in Riobamba it was also a bit complex to suspend the acts because there was an overcrowding, while the personnel involved in the operations were limited. Even so, it was possible to prevent them from developing because they put the health of the citizens at risk.

“Unfortunately, the unconsciousness of some citizens is worrying, but advantageously in the province of Chimborazo the authorities have managed to prevail over the acts that did not have permits, we have suspended all the events that have been tried to take place illegally in Riobamba,” said Vistín.

He commented that to achieve the suspension he had the support of the contingent of the National Police, as well as control agents of the municipality of Riobamba and Transit personnel. (I)