At least 19 people have been arrested this Monday as part of the carriers’ strike that has caused internal friction in the sector, as well as with the Chilean government, which has decided to sign an agreement with some associations, leaving out others.
The Confederation of Transporters Force of the North of the country began last Monday an indefinite strike in protest against high fuel prices, as well as insecurity on the roads, after three months ago the truckers asked the Minister of Finance to put an end to the price hikes.
The Chilean Executive agreed on Sunday on ten points with the Chilean National Confederation of Cargo Transport (CNTC) and FedeQuinta, while Camioneros del Sur and Fuerza del Norte remain outside the pact for now.
The Chilean Government spokesperson, Camila Vallejo, has expressed this Monday that the Executive of Gabriel Boric «is going to make use of the laws at its disposal» so that «no citizen» is «affected» by the interruptions, as reported by the T13 channel.
Vallejo has distanced himself from the declarations of the Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela, and has pointed out that the objective is to «watch over the general interests» of the population, assuring that the Executive «will not be available» if «demands impossible for the State to comply with» are put on the table.
Valenzuela has previously raised the tone within the Chilean Government, and has explained that «food safety is not to be trifled with», while explaining that in Chile they have had «a nightmare week».
«Here, the maximum contribution of the Government has been made in a very difficult moment to stabilize fuel prices, and we are available, as all the actors have said, to continue the dialogue also with those who have been left behind. But let those who are off the hook get rid of the imbecility, they are causing damage to the country», he said, as reported by the newspaper ‘La Tercera’.