Colombia Reaches Deal With Truckers to End Crippling Road Blocks

(Bloomberg) -- Colombia’s government reached an agreement with truckers to raise diesel prices by less than planned, bringing to an end a strike that virtually paralyzed the country as it entered its fifth day.

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After intense negotiations that extended through the night, the government and truckers agreed on a gradual increase of 800 pesos (about $0.20) this year, Finance Minister Ricardo Bonilla said on Blu Radio radio on Friday. That’s less than the nearly 2,000 pesos announced by Gustavo Petro’s administration on Aug. 31.

The government will continue to negotiate with truckers to discuss additional increases next year, Bonilla said.

“From this moment on the agreement is to end the protests today so that Colombians can return to normalcy,” Transportation Minister María Constanza García said in a press conference following the agreement.

Truckers have started to free up roads. Since Monday the blockades had led to warnings of food and fuel shortages nationwide.

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