Colombian truckers make a preliminary deal with the government to end their 17-day strike over the termination of minimum freight rates, Caracol Radio reported Thursday.
Vice President Angelino Garzon, a former union leader, announced after six hours of meetings that a deal would be signed at 7PM Thursday after meetings with President Juan Manuel Santos.
More than 100,000 truckers represented by the Colombian Truckers Association (ACC) have been striking since Thursday February 3, and have been blockading major roads in Bogota.
Santos threatened earlier in the day that if the dispute was not resolved that evening “there will be an iron fist.”
Transport sector employers claimed last week that the strike had already cost Colombia $140 million.