Highway to Nowhere: Transporters Bring Popayán to a Standstill in Fury Over ACPM Hike
- Truck drivers across the country have begun a nationwide strike in response to the recent fuel price hike.
- The strike, which started on September 2, has seen truck drivers parking their vehicles on the side of the Pan-American highway, near the Popayán Industrial Park, in protest...
- Hours later, the transporters decided to block the road completely, as they had threatened.
Truck Drivers’ Strike: A Nationwide Protest Against Fuel Price Hike
Truck drivers across the country have begun a nationwide strike in response to the recent fuel price hike.
The strike, which started on September 2, has seen truck drivers parking their vehicles on the side of the Pan-American highway, near the Popayán Industrial Park, in protest against the increase in the gallon of ACPM. The government has “adjusted” the selling price of this fuel by $1,904.
Hours later, the transporters decided to block the road completely, as they had threatened. The strike is taking place in different cities and roads in the country, with the aim of putting pressure on the government to re-evaluate the pricing policy.
Government Response
President Gustavo Petro announced the installation of a United Command Post (PMU) directed by the Minister of Transport, María Constanza García.
According to the government, when a consumer buys diesel at a service station, they pay less than 50% of the price charged by the refiner or importer of that fuel. The national government, through the FEPC, pays the rest. This has led to a historic financial problem that, together, in 2024 pesos, is close to $115 billion.