Colombian truckers blockade cities over diesel price hike

DW (English)

Truck drivers in Colombia are blocking highways around the country's cities to protest higher fuel prices. The cost of diesel rose some 20% over the weekend, sparking blockades that have spread quickly. Supplies of basic products are running short.

Transcript

00:00On the road into Bogota, some private cars will be able to pass through the blockade

00:04if they're lucky.

00:05That's if they can convince the truckers, by blowing their horns, that they support

00:09their protest.

00:11But any trucks trying to gain access will have to get in line.

00:14Jose is bringing a delivery of milk and has been stuck here for the last four hours.

00:20Carrying farm-fresh milk is like driving an ambulance, it's like taking a patient to

00:29a hospital.

00:30I tell them the milk will go sour.

00:34The transport union has put up road blockades as a means of pressuring the government to

00:38halt plans to hike diesel fuel prices.

00:41They say that now it's going to be the same, that it will be 2,000 pesos, that it's going

00:48to stop there.

00:49That's a lie.

00:53The previous government subsidized the cost of diesel, which generated a deficit of more

00:57than 56 billion pesos, or 13 billion dollars.

01:02Obviously, an increase in diesel prices means higher transportation costs, and will affect

01:10the price of many goods transported by land.

01:14What's the solution?

01:16Even if basic goods see price increases, there's still a very large fiscal shortfall.

01:24And this shortfall is costing money that could be used for social programs and infrastructure.

01:37The truckers insist they'll remain on strike until Gustavo Petro's government abandons

01:41the price hike.

01:45We will fight as long as we can.

01:47If they come up with a solution quickly, tonight or tomorrow, so much the better, because obviously

01:52then the strike will end.

01:55But not until they give in and understand our demands.

02:01Negotiations between the government and the transporters continue.

02:06But for now, the strike goes on.

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