Colombian truckers began a strike Thursday to protest against government reforms of freight rates.
Some 180,000 truckers reportedly parked their vehicle around midnight after weeks of negotiations between the government and the Truckers Association of Colombia (ACC) failed.
“All truckers are have now parked their vehicles, edging their trucks on the side of the road,” ACC secretary Ricardo Virviescas told Caracol Radio Thursday morning.
The truckers are on strike because President Juan Manuel Santos refuses to overturn a reform that would eliminate the fixed-price system. The ACC also wants an increase of 14.7% in the price table to compensate for higher operating costs.
Santos rejected the strike Wednesday, saying “the government will not respond to these types of threats.”
