Colombian Truckers Protest Diesel Price Hike

Thousands of Colombians were forced to walk to work, as truckers in major cities blocked highways to protest a recent increase in the price of diesel fuel.

Truckers unions have said that plans by the government to eliminate diesel fuel subsidies would push their businesses to the brink of bankruptcy, while the administration of left-wing President Gustavo Petro argues it must phase out subsidies to cut a growing budget deficit and direct more funds to education and health.

In response, the unions have been holding protests around the country, which intensified, with roadblocks in the cities of Bogotá, Medellin and Cali, that have diminished the amount of food arriving at wholesale markets.

Starting Monday, a strike of truckers has been taking place in Bogota due to the recent price increase of 1,904 Colombian pesos ($0.46) per diesel gallon.

The national police stated that there are 81 public demonstrations in the country, of which 29 are permanent blockades.

With this increase, a gallon of diesel will reach an average of 11,360 pesos ($2.73) in the 13 main cities of the country.

Petro wrote on social media platform X that he would not let truckers unions “block” the country. The former activist, who has led numerous protests throughout his career, wrote that fuel subsidies had to be removed in order to “reduce public debt” and “finance the health and education of Colombians.”

Subsidies for diesel fuel have been implemented in Colombia for decades, and previous governments have kept them in place, fearing that a removal could lead to massive protests and increases in food prices.

According to Colombia’s Finance Ministry, diesel fuel subsidies cost the Colombian government around $240 million each month paid out to the state oil company Ecopetrol.

The government says it is planning to remove diesel fuel subsidies in three stages to enable transport companies to plan for the increase in prices.