Hundreds of truckers in Colombia staged protests on Friday, demanding the government reconsider its decision to raise diesel prices. The move, announced by Finance Minister Ricardo Bonilla, sparked immediate backlash from the transportation sector. Truckers in major cities, including Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Bucaramanga, organized demonstrations, expressing concerns about the impact of rising fuel costs on their livelihoods and the broader economy. The Federation of Cargo Transport Entrepreneurs (Fedetranscarga) president, Henry Cárdenas, argued that the price increase would significantly impact their business, potentially leading to a nationwide strike. Cárdenas appealed to the government to listen to their concerns and understand the implications of the price hike on the transportation sector and the everyday Colombian citizen. The Minister’s announcement on August 20th, which cited the need to address “imaginary inflation” in the market, stated that the diesel price would increase by 6,000 Colombian pesos (approximately $1.44 USD) over the next year. This increase is scheduled to be implemented in three 2,000 peso installments over the coming semesters. The government argued that the current price of diesel is frozen since 2020 and has failed to reflect the current inflation rates.
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