The form of strike chosen by the protesters is the closure of many important roads in the country, which after four days of uninterrupted blockades is already causing serious damage to the productive sector and serious inconvenience to citizens.

The Alliance of Associations and Guilds warned that according to its estimates, daily losses could reach 80 billion pesos (about 20 million dollars at the current exchange rate), significantly damaging the country’s economic stability and the cost of living of the Colombians.

According to the organization, the strike, which was declared after the rise in the price of diesel, impacts key sectors such as agriculture, commerce and manufacturing.

The Alliance warned about how shortages and increased transportation costs may translate into higher inflation.

In order to ease the situation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development implemented an urgent action plan to guarantee the priority passage of vehicles transporting food and essential products, and requested the authorities and leaders of the strike to enable supply corridors to avoid economic losses and secure food provisions.

President Gustavo Petro affirmed yesterday that in reality it is a business strike that responds to economic and political interests, and not to those of a social movement that usually raises just demands.

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