A couple visiting Puerto Rico were detained on Tuesday after they locked themselves in their car to avoid a court hearing related to purported violations of COVID-19 protocols.
The unidentified couple refused to fill out the required COVID-19 entry form when they arrived at Puerto Rico’s airport on Jan. 2 and failed to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test, authorities alleged. They did not appear for their scheduled court session on Tuesday, with authorities finding them locked inside a minivan in Caguas, Puerto Rico, where they remained for several hours, officials told the Associated Press.
Authorities sent a negotiator and eventually detained the couple late Tuesday, officials said. They stand accused of obstructing a public official and could face either a massive fine or up to six months in prison.
Several protesters showed up to the minivan to support the couple, the report said. The protesters reportedly threatened several journalists, who then left, the outlet continued.
Protocols for air travelers coming into Puerto Rico require visitors to complete a travel declaration and receive a negative COVID-19 test result within 48 hours before arriving on the island, regardless of vaccination status. Passengers who fail to provide negative COVID-19 tests will receive a $300 fine, according to Travel Safe.
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As of Wednesday, Puerto Rico has reported 6,880 cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. A total of 2,914,738 people in the country have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 2,472,105 fully vaccinated, according to the World Health Organization.
