Paraguay is experiencing its second day of road blockades by truck drivers and other drivers on Tuesday, who demand a drop in fuel prices.
The protest continues today after freight carriers, taxi drivers and motorcycle delivery people rejected the government's proposal to apply discounts on fuels purchased from state-owned Petroleos Paraguayos (Petropar).
One of the most critical points of the protest is the PY02 National Route, which connects Asunción with Ciudad del Este, where trucks stationed on either side of the road have forced vehicle traffic to slow down the height of the city of Capiatá.
The protesters, who carry Paraguayan banners and flags, block the passage for several minutes and then withdraw, which gives rise to huge lines.
Another of the affected areas is the Friendship Bridge, which connects Ciudad del Este with the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguaçu and where hundreds of cars and people travel on foot every day.
Intermittent outages were also reported in the cities of Itá (downtown), as well as in Minga Guazú, Santa Rita, Santa Fe del Paraná and Minga Porá, in the department of Alto Paraná (north), according to local media.
The president of the National Union of Motorcycle Workers, Federico Ferreira, told the EFE news agency today that they are waiting for a new meeting during this day with government delegates.
However, he confirmed that they are still in “permanent vigil” and did not rule out that in the coming hours more cargo units will be added to the demonstrations.
Drivers are demanding a reduction of 1,500 Guaraníes (about 0.22 cents) in the cost of fuels, which so far in 2022 have accumulated two increases and six in a year.
The authorities have proposed a reduction of 400 Guaraníes (about 0.057 cents) in the fuel that Petropar sells to the unions in protest.
The Government announced on Monday that it will bring to Congress a bill to create a fuel price stabilization fund, with a seed capital of 100 million dollars.
This mechanism will target type III diesel, which accounts for 55 per cent of local consumption and supplies the productive sector.
(With information from EFE)
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