Striking truckers have blocked a key transit route between Cali (Colombia’s third largest city) and the western port city of Buenaventura.
Colombia’s truckers union (ACC) on Friday announced that they would stage country-wide protests over a national fuel increase and the president of the union reportedly said Monday that the road blockage would continue until the government removes the six cent increase in gas prices.
“Colombia only understands things the hard way,” ACC president, Pedro Aguilar said on Friday.
BACKGROUND: Colombia truckers go on strike
According to W Radio, approximately 12 trucks are blocking the road in the sector known as Loboguerrero. Supposedly five trucks had their tires stripped to make their removal more difficult.
Local authorities insisted that they had a contingency plan to deal with a possible work stoppage.
“We are prepared with our teams and professionals, [we] have the capacity for a month of port activities,” said Buenaventura’s port director, Domingo Chinea.