Despite the government repeated calls for a dialogue, hundreds of truck drivers persist in blocking roads, which, after several days, is beginning to compromise the supply of essential goods such as food, medicine and fuel.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Martha Carvajalino warned about the negative effects that the strike is beginning to cause on the prices of basic products and on the income of the peasants.

Dairy, poultry and pork are among the hardest hit sectors. “The impact is significant, affecting not only the distribution of food, but also the income of thousands of rural producers,” the authority said.

The Minister of Finance Ricardo Bonilla warned that more than the increase in the price of diesel, it is the blockades that will have a greater effect on inflation.

The government, has already made two proposals to the union to allow fuel progressive increases, but getting no consent from the transporters.

President Gustavo Petro warned that this is basically a lockout by those companies that do not want to see their income affected by the rise in diesel prices, and whose subsidy from the state prevents progress in broad social benefit projects.

For this reason, the president assured that measures would be taken to protect small transporters and not large businessmen, who enjoy the benefits of an inequitable subsidy, and who use blockades to prop up their own economic and political interests.

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