Chile truckers block highways as diesel prices jump 74%
What's next: Santiago plans a bill to cap weekly fuel-price increases at 20 pesos a liter as talks continue Wednesday.
Truck drivers and other transport workers blocked highways across Chile on Tuesday, snarling traffic on the country’s main north-south route and disrupting access to ports including Iquique as they protested steep diesel price increases. The action was called by Confederacion de Transportistas Fuerza del Norte and the No+TAG movement after talks with the government failed to produce a deal. Protesters want changes to the MEPCO fuel-price stabilization mechanism and lower tax burdens on truckers. The government said it would use fiscal savings to support MEPCO and send legislation to prevent weekly fuel-price increases of more than 20 pesos per liter. A cruise ship also canceled a planned stop in Iquique.