Advertisement“Being here, I could forget all that and be with my family,” said Ortiz, who now is looking forward to celebrating Christmas in her homeland. In normal years, the winter holidays mark a high point for the travel industry for Latinos. Initially, the pandemic shut down most nonessential travel across the region, and a number of Latin American airports closed entirely for months. “The lack of affection, hugging and being close to a loved one causes depression more than everything,” said Matute. When La Aurora International Airport reopened in the capital, Guatemala City, Ortiz’s first thought was to travel to see her family.

Source: Los Angeles Times December 24, 2020 13:02 UTC