El confinamiento por COVID-19 y su impacto en las condiciones socioeconómicas de los comerciantes informales del cantón Huaquillas

Abstract

Informal commerce is a characteristic activity of the border canton, established as a particular labor activity of a low economy derived from the low economic development of the canton, reflecting the situation of poverty in men and women who are engaged in the sale of wholesale and retail products in public spaces and main streets of Huaquillas, so it is evident their instability and high risk at work, also the precarious situation in the working conditions to which they are exposed. This problem was further complicated by the mandatory confinement and border closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, causing the closure or bankruptcy of formal businesses, immediately forcing these workers to change their commercial modality. Given this situation, a diagnosis was developed in relation to the impact generated by the mandatory confinement on the socioeconomic conditions of informal traders in the canton of Huaquillas. Therefore, the results of the empirical research will constitute a basic support for the construction of an intervention proposal aimed at improving the situation of retailers and their families, who as a result of the biosecurity measures applied by the local government would enter a situation of impoverishment and, therefore, in a highly vulnerable group. This research was supported from a sociological vision with the theory of functionalism-structuralism of Talcott Parsons, however, it has a theoretical foundation that provides the research process with some criteria on this problem from different scientific contributions, such as: Pierre Bourdieu with the field and habitus theory, Manuel Castells with the structural and urban space and Alejandro Portes with the movements of the settlers from a neo-Marxist vision. Therefore, a mixed approach has been applied, combining quantitative research instruments such as descriptive observation and the survey, with the qualitative instrument of the semi-structured interview. In effect, the results reflect that informal traders work in inadequate working conditions, facing serious problems such as unhealthy conditions as a result of the lack of basic services for their exclusive use and therefore a high risk at work, but this problem has increased due to the mandatory confinement and the closing of the border, significantly affecting the binational commercial center. Subsequently, we proceeded to design an intervention proposal, based on the problems found, establishing the design of a strategic plan to improve the working conditions of informal traders in the central sector of the city of Huaquillas, with the aim of contributing to reduce the situation of precariousness and instability of retailers, based on the new structuralism, with the theory of dual labor market proposed by Averitt, Galbraith and O'Connor and from the vision of the political economist Braverman with the theory of labor and monopoly capital. Benefiting 561 citizens dedicated to this commercial activity to keep their area clean, safe and established, strengthening the economic and productive activities of the locality.