Trucker Protests in Colombia Strike a Deal

By Sophie Ritzenthaler

Fuel Truck

Truckers around Colombia have been protesting higher diesel fuel prices since last Saturday, August 31st, with protests intensifying on Tuesday. These protests come after the government announced a 26 cent increase per gallon. Truckers blocked roads across the country and police reported 120 permanent blockades at one point, forcing people everywhere to walk or cycle to work. It also prompted warnings to be announced about possible food shortages as trucks were not delivering their goods. Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, initially came out with a hardline approach saying he wouldn’t allow trucker unions to “block” the country. President Petro changed his tune a bit after several days of talks to strike a deal with the unions and end the blockades on Friday, September 6th.

Instead of the original 26 cent increase per gallon, an agreement was reached for a 10 cent per gallon increase effective immediately with another 10 cent per gallon increase in December. The transportation sector asked the truckers to resume work after the deal with the government was struck. Other measures to unfreeze gas prices have been suspended until talks about structural problems in the transport sector begin. These talks, past the increase of fuel prices, will aim to improve drivers and truckers’ labor conditions.