- Title: NICARAGUA: Nicaraguan police arrest truck drivers on strike
- Date: 14th May 2008
- Summary: (W1) MANAGUA, NICARAGUA (MAY 12, 2008) (REUTERS) NEGOTIATION TABLE WITH TRUCK DRIVERS AND NICARAGUAN TRANSPORT MINISTER, FERNANDO MARTINEZ AND CARDINAL MIGUEL OBANDO (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NICARAGUAN TRANSPORT MINISTER, FERNANDO MARTINEZ, SAYING: "I repeat what I said yesterday, that there was $30 cents for public transport." GENERAL VIEW OF NEGOTIATION TABLE (SOUNDBIT
- Embargoed: 29th May 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nicaragua
- Country: Nicaragua
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA5A7Y2E4T96DV9JE17OD2C9W5L
- Story Text: Nicaraguan police clash with striking truck drivers, after drivers they set two commercial trucks on fire.
Nicaraguan police arrested a dozen people on Tuesday (May 13) after clashing with striking truck drivers. Drivers set two commercial trucks on fire along a motorway close to the Nicaraguan capital of Managua.
Demonstrator, Mario Torres, told Reuters said that some present during the disturbances were protesting against rising food prices.
"With machetes and petrol, that's how we'll get rid of him, Daniel Ortega (President). He should know that the town of Madera is suffering from hunger, rice is skyrocketing. People who are here are not just truck drivers, the people are here."
Central America, torn by civil wars in the 1980s and still the poorest region of Latin America, hopes to avoid the type of violent protests over spiraling prices now plaguing nations from Cameroon to Bangladesh.
Rice prices have nearly tripled since the beginning of the year hitting net importers in Central America hard.
Riot police cleared a stretch of the Panamanian motorway which was blocked close to the north of Managua. Truck drivers threw stones at police, while authorities fought back by firing tear gas at protesters.
Union commercial truck drivers, collective bus service companies and taxi drivers, from central Nicaragua, demand subsidies for petrol they consume and directed their demands at Nicaraguan President, Daniel Ortega.
Ortega's government has offered to subsidize truck drivers with some $30 cents per gallon for petrol.
"I repeat what I said yesterday, that there was $30 cents for public transport," said Nicaraguan Transport Minister, Fernando Martinez.
Nevertheless, truck drivers demand that the price per gallon be frozen to some USD $2 dollars since the strike began nine days ago.
"The fifth region, such as the other regions, will not move a single truck, until the government sits down to negotiate with us," said regional transport representative, Francisco Alberto Jimenez.
The president of transportation representatives, Andres Lara, said that the strike would continue.
"The Minister (Transport Minister) should resign due to shame.
They only looked ridiculous. As we have said before, this situation is very serious, transportation is prepared to continue with this national transport strike."
Meanwhile, food merchants are running out of fresh produce to sell due to the strike.
"There is no fresh product, because products are not arriving, clients come to look for something, but if they don't find fresh produce, they leave without taking anything, this is due to the strike," said merchant, Martha Hernandez.
The price of petrol is around USD $4.5 per gallon for diesel and premium petrol. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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