Residents of three neighborhoods in Atoyac de Álvarez, Guerrero, had gone without running water for almost two months. Yesterday, the service was reestablished but not until the angry citizens shut down traffic on the highway that connects the resort destinations of Acapulco and Zihuatanejo.

About 100 protesters set up an intermittent roadblock on federal highway 200 and demanded a meeting with Mayor Dámaso Pérez Organes.

A spokesman told reporters that water service had been cut off almost two months ago but the municipal water utility, Capasma, continued to charge for it.

Simón Ríos Suárez explained that the municipality was in arrears with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), which in response had shut down the distribution system.

Protesters met with the mayor at noon and later participated in negotiations between the mayor and CFE representatives.

The roadblock was lifted about 4:00pm after the municipality reached a settlement with the electricity commission.

Source: Síntesis de Guerrero (sp)