Brazil trucker strike12/8/2023 ![]() The truckers have attempted to put a stranglehold on movement of goods in Brazil to protest increases in fuel prices. "We are on a path to normalization," said Sergio Etchegoyen, the Minister of Institutional Security, who added: "It's not quick."īrazil is a member of the G20 group of the world's largest emerging and advanced economies, but the first five days of the strike were estimated to have cost the country's economy $2.8 billion, according to the daily Folha de Sao Paulo. Gas stations were virtually all out of fuel, and perishable foods were disappearing from store shelves. With assistance from Rachel Gamarski, Bruce Douglas and Robert Jameson.Brazil faced serious supply disruptions on the seventh day of a truckers' strike Sunday, although the government said the country was "on a path to normalization."īrazilian authorities have deployed the military to clear barricades erected by strikers and have been escorting fuel trucks since Friday to maintain access to refineries.īut federal transportation police reported that as of Saturday night, nearly 600 roads were at least partially blocked throughout the sprawling South American country. It relies heavily on trucks to move cargo as it has only a small network of railways that cater mostly to shipping raw materials such as iron ore or soybeans. The largest port in Latin America was said to be running out of soybeans.īrazil, which is larger than the continental U.S., is specially vulnerable to disruption in transportation. Carmakers were due to stop production lines, while airlines notified customers of flight cancellations due to lack of fuel in several of the country’s main airports. On May 25, there were signs of further damage to Latin America’s largest economy. Petrobras cut the price of diesel by 10% for two weeks, but that retreat spooked investors and also failed to appease the truckers. Temer fumbled initial attempts to pacify the situation. “It’s a slow process.”Īuthorities are struggling to calm the chaos let loose by the strike that erupted Ma y21, set off by fuel-price increases of about 50% over a year. “We’ve fulfilled our part of the agreement and expect them to fulfill theirs,” referring to truckers’ unions. Abcam represents about 700,000 of roughly one million self-employed truck drivers.Ĭhief of Staff Eliseu Padilha told reporters May 25 that strike will be gradually demobilized. Local media reported that drivers continued protesting in at least 14 states. Still, truckers group Abcam - which didn’t take the government’s deal - said the number of highway blockades rose to 521 on May 25 from 402 the day prior. The government and state-run oil company Petrobras will split any extra costs. While the government said that eight of 10 unions agreed to a proposal that would suspend price increases and lower taxes on diesel, the country’s truckers’ confederation issued a statement May 25 saying it had committed to just “pass along” the offer, and not to end the strike.Īs part of the accord announced May 24, diesel prices, which had been adjusted daily according to market rates, will now be fixed for 30 days. RELATED: Brazilian trucker strike starting to wear on economy Striking truckers protest rising fuel costs on the highway BR-040 in Duque de Caxias, Brazil, May 25. Thousands of Brazilian truckers angry over fuel price hikes blocked roads on Friday, the fifth day of a strike that led thousands of schools to shutter, long lines to form at gas stations and several flights to be canceled. “Those who act in a radical manner are harming the population and they will be held responsible,” Temer said in a televised national address May 25. President Michel Temer said he’s called for the deployment of national security forces to unblock roads and asked governors to do the same. Sao Paulo, a megacity that’s home to more than 12 million people, declared a state of emergency and warned that shortages caused by the strike may cause a state of public calamity, while export group ABPA said a billion chickens and 20 million swines may die in coming days due to a lack of feed. (Eraldo Peres/AP)īrazil sank further into chaos May 25 as the fifth day of a nationwide truckers’ strike prompted the deployment of national security forces amid warnings of a calamity in one of world’s largest cities and potentially devastating livestock losses. Striking truckers and motorcycle messengers block the entrance of BR Distribuidora, a fuel station run by the state-run oil company Petrobras, May 24.
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