The Chilean Government implemented a freeze on fuel prices for a period of three months in response to the transport workers' stoppage, which resulted in the partial blockade of the country's main roads.
On Wednesday, the Minister of the Interior, Claudio Alvarado, informed the press at the La Moneda Palace that the decision was made to suspend the increase in fuel costs until the first days of February.
Several small and medium-sized truck driver associations began an indefinite strike on Tuesday, covering almost all regions of Chile. This protest was motivated by the continuous increase in fuel prices, which has caused considerable losses to the transport sector.
During the day, Minister Alvarado held several meetings with representatives of the transporters and announced that the adjustment in fuel prices will be reversed through a bill that will be urgently discussed in parliament next week.
The two largest entities in the sector, the National Confederation of Truck Owners and the National Confederation of Freight Transport, chose to distance themselves from the protest, although they expressed solidarity with the demands of the other groups.
Alvarado clarified that the new measures were proposed during the last round of negotiations with the leaders of the associations involved in the strike. He added that it is now up to these groups to present proposals for a vote among their bases, determining whether they will end the movement.
The minister declared that starting the following Thursday, there would be no justification to continue obstructing the free flow on highways and cities across the country.
Considering that Chile, one of the world's largest countries, lacks a railway system and relies mainly on road transport for cargo, the road blockades cause serious disruptions to supply chains.
The last major truck driver strike occurred in February 2022 but lasted only a few days.
The fuel crisis began in March when President José Antonio Kast opted not to use a state mechanism designed to mitigate the impact of international oil price fluctuations, thereby transferring the entire increase caused by the Middle East war to consumers.
Since the start of this offensive, the international price of diesel has increased by 80%, while gasoline has risen by 40%. This event triggered a domino effect in various economic segments and contributed to a drop in the popularity of the far-right head of state, who had taken office promising to revitalize the economy.
The increase in fuel costs has driven inflation to its highest level in 18 months; the consumer price index registered a growth of 0.5% in October, totaling an annual variation of 4.5%.
