Historic Town Hall Fire Sparks Farmer Protests Over Land Registry Delays

Land‑registration backlogs have left more than 60 smallholder farms waiting over six months for title confirmation, a delay that blocks their participation in the federal fair‑price coffee scheme. On Thursday morning, dozens of farmers and cooperative members gathered in San Vicente's central plaza, holding banners that read “Registers Now, Harvest Tomorrow”. Their protest was aimed at the Regional Assembly's agriculture committee and the Federal Office for Cooperative Affairs.

The peaceful demonstration turned chaotic when a sudden blaze erupted inside the historic town hall, the building that houses the regional land‑registry office. Flames quickly engulfed the wooden façade, and smoke rose above the plaza as onlookers scrambled to safety. Preliminary reports suggest the fire started from an improvised lantern that was knocked over during the crowd's movement, though investigators have not ruled out foul play.

Governor Lucía Báez arrived on the scene within an hour, condemning the damage and pledging a swift investigation. The Federal Treasury Minister Marcus Eklund announced that emergency funds would be allocated to restore the archive rooms, while the Federal Interior Minister Tomás Vidal ordered a temporary suspension of the protest until the cause of the fire is clarified. Both officials emphasized that the land‑registration backlog remains a priority for the government.

The incident has raised questions about how the registration bottleneck will be addressed amid rising coffee prices and growing demand for fair‑price contracts. The Cooperative Council in San Vicente plans to meet with federal officials later this week to discuss digitising records. Further details on the investigation and the council's proposals will be reported as they become available.