Professional clowns gather in Guatemala

Guatemala City, July 31 (IANS/EFE) More than 200 professional clowns from across Latin America were in Guatemala this week for a meeting to exchange insights about their trade.

The 6th Congress of Latin American Clowns was held at a hotel in this capital under the auspices of the union that represents workers in Guatemala's entertainment sector.

The union's founder, Mario Solarzano, who performs under the name Remachito, told the Efe news agency he and his colleagues get together "to learn new tools for our shows".

"These congresses help us learn more things and new performance techniques to make people laugh," he said.

Performers from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and the US, among others, took part in the congress.

Solorzano, who has been a clown for 18 years, said clowning is an honourable profession.

Remachito and his colleagues wrapped up the congress with a procession - in full clown regalia - through Guatemala City's historic district of the old government palace, where they posed for a group photo.

--IANS/EFE

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