Sharjah 24 – AFP: Truckers in Colombia have been blocking major highways since Monday in protest of a diesel price hike of $0.46 per gallon. The increase, part of President Gustavo Petro’s plan to phase out fuel subsidies, has sparked widespread unrest. The government issued an "urgent appeal" for the creation of safe corridors to allow food and essential goods to be transported, as cities like Bogota face potential shortages. The agriculture ministry warned of significant losses and emphasized the need for rapid food supplies.
The fuel hike, which amounts to a 20% increase, has heavily impacted the cost of shipping goods, as 90% of Colombia’s commodities are transported by road. The national statistics agency reported a 23% drop in food deliveries to the country's wholesale markets, with Bogota’s largest market seeing a 40% decline. Farmers in regions like Narino and Boyaca have been forced to discard produce that couldn’t reach the markets.
Talks between the government and truckers have so far failed, with the Colombian Transporters Confederation vowing to continue protests until the increase is repealed. President Petro, Colombia’s first leftist leader, has accused influential business figures of backing the protests and defended the price hike as fiscally necessary. In response to the disruptions, riot police were deployed in Bogota, where nearly 1.6 million commuters were affected, and public transportation was severely disrupted.
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