Asuncion (AFP)
The 2019 Copa Libertadores final, originally scheduled for November 23 in Santiago between River Plate and Flamengo, will be played in Lima, Peru, said the Conmebol on Tuesday because of the social crisis in Chile.
This is a new snag for the Chilean authorities but also for the venerable competition of South American clubs, which had already had to relocate in Madrid the final return in 2018 between the rivals Argentinian River Plate and Boca Juniors after violence in Buenos Aires .
"New circumstances of force majeure and questions of public order, analyzed and evaluated with caution (...) justified the decision to move the final of the Copa Libertadores 2019 to Lima, Peru, maintaining the date of 23 November, "said in a statement the Conmebol.
"The choice of this new host city is based on the proposal of the Peruvian government and on the security guarantees that have been provided," added the authority, in consultation with the Argentineans River Plate and Brazilians Flamengo.
The withdrawal of this final in Chile is in addition to a series of cancellations in the country, in the grip of a lively agitation caused on October 18 by an increase in the price of the metro ticket (since canceled).
On Tuesday, the Chilean Federation canceled a friendly match of its national team against Bolivia, scheduled for November 15 in Concepcion. The selection will move however well in Lima to face Peru, always in friendly, on November 19th, specified the instance.
The conflict in Chile also led to the cancellation of the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum) summit to be held in Santiago on 16 and 17 November, and the UN climate conference COP 25 , also planned in the capital in December.
The Chilean social crisis has killed 20 people, including five after the intervention of the security forces, according to official figures.
© 2019 AFP