The first procession of Holy Friday, known as 'Viernes de Dolores,' will begin. Authorities have recommended that the public arrive at least two hours in advance, as the area usually reaches its capacity before the start of each procession. The Casco Antiguo is preparing for Holy Week activities, which will kick off this Friday, March 27, and extend until April 5, with processions traveling through various streets of the area. The route will go through several points in the Casco Antiguo, advancing towards the Sofitel sector and up to the cathedral. During this procession, two new floats will also be presented, including one dedicated to the Crucified Christ, which will be carried by 94 costaleros. They also indicated that there will be about 11 parking lots available, though they suggest leaving vehicles outside the Casco Antiguo to avoid congestion. The Transit Police will activate vehicle detours at night during all processions, mostly from 7:00 p.m. People can check the schedules on the churches' social media networks. Authorities also announced that the MiBus route to the Casco will remain operational. During the conference, it was also informed that security forces will be operational throughout the area during Holy Week due to the large number of attendees moving to the Casco Antiguo. In terms of security, the Institutional Protection Service (SPI) will deploy approximately 1,000 uniformed officers as part of Operation Fortaleza 3, with a presence in the Casco Antiguo, the Coastal Strip, and Omar Park. Last year, there was a high hotel occupancy rate due to religious tourism, and for this year, a similar behavior is expected with the arrival of visitors during these dates. It is expected that around 350,000 people will participate in the activities. For this first event, more than 1,800 people will participate in one of the longest processions, organized by a brotherhood that is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
