ARGENTINA: Many gas stations in Buenos Aires are without fuel on second day of nation-wide truckers' strike

Record ID: 340854

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Many gas stations in Buenos Aires are without fuel on second day of nation-wide truckers' strike
  • Date: 22nd June 2012
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (JUNE 21, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CARS LINING UP AT GAS STATION GAS STATION ATTENDANT PUMPING GAS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WAITING VARIOUS OF GAS STATION CLOSED DOWN BECAUSE THERE'S NO GAS GAS STATION ATTENDANT TELLING DRIVER: 'ALL I HAVE IS DIESEL' MOTORBIKER MATIAS WAITING FOR GAS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MOTORBIKER MATIAS SAYING: "(I've been lo
  • Embargoed: 7th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Politics,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVADC4YV617VRE1I32W0KL71G9QI
  • Story Text: People waited hours on Thursday (June 21) in Buenos Aires to fill gas tanks on the second day of trucker strike that left many of the city's service stations without fuel.
    The powerful truck drivers union defied a government order for talks and launched the three-day protest, disrupting fuel distribution throughout the country, a leading exporter of grains.
    The government initiated a criminal complaint over the strike, sparking the wrath of top union chief Hugo Moyano, who heads the CGT labour federation and whose son runs the truckers union. Both men are at odds with President Cristina Fernandez.
    Meanwhile, commuters spent the morning searching for service stations that still had fuel.
    "(I've been looking) for two hours. I already went to seven gas stations. There's nothing," said one motorbiker.
    The truckers union represents workers who transport cash, garbage and farm products, in addition to fuel and other goods.
    On Wednesday, union truckers piled garbage outside a refinery in the Buenos Aires-suburb La Matanza to stop trucks from leaving the plant.
    "These trucks are driven by workers and we can't let the workers' tools --- tools they have used for many years -- be used by others. That's why we aren't letting the trucks out," Moyano said.
    Police were stationed on highways entering Buenos Aires to stop trucks running low on fuel from entering the city.
    The government has the power to reroute trucks to areas where fuel is urgently needed and the military police dispatched halted rigs at several plants.
    Argentina is one of the world's biggest exporters of grains and the vast majority of farm goods are sent to port by truck. Farmers, who are nearing the end of this year's soy and corn harvest, are also major consumers of fuel.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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