The national government’s announcement of a gradual increase in the price of diesel by 6,000 pesos has sparked concern and strong criticism from transporters who are considering the steps to take to reject the measure.
In an interview with , the president of Fedetranscarga, Henry Cárdenas, harshly criticized the administration of Gustavo Petro and said that he is interested in increasing the cost of fuel and not in fighting corruption.
Cárdenas regretted that an agreement had not been reached with the government this week after several months of talks and questioned Minister Bonilla.
“It tramples on everything we did during a year trying to work for the benefit of Colombians and achieve a price that benefits us all as a country,” he said.
In 16 meetings with transport unions, an attempt was made to reach an agreement to apply the increases, howeverAccording to Minister Bonilla, there was no possibility of reaching agreements.
The president of Fedetranscarga also spoke about the effects that this measure will have on the pockets of Colombians. Among these, an increase in the cost of public transport.
“All people who take the bus will be affected. 90% of the vehicle fleet that transports passengers is diesel. Automatically, by raising the price by 600 pesos, the fare will cost 600 pesos more per trip. The person who earns a minimum wage will have an additional expense,” he said.
The union leader said they are seeking to meet with leaders of the transport sector to discuss measures in response to the government’s decision.
“We are inviting all the leaders of the trucking industry in the country to hold a large meeting so that we can agree on what to do,” he said.
“When we all meet, we will come to a conclusion. We must do this for our country,” he said.
“Bankruptcy”
This week, Alfonso Medrano, president of the Colombian Truck Drivers Association, He said that these increases will lead them to bankruptcy, especially the smaller ones, which are already in trouble with the usual increases in freight transport costs. The union leader also said that “No one is forced to work at a loss,” Therefore, what you see coming is that they will leave their trucks parked.
