"Biggest Increase Ever" and "They're Killing Us": Opposition Slams Government Fuel Price Hike
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- Opposition leaders in Uruguay are strongly criticizing the government's decision to increase fuel prices, calling it the largest hike in history.
- The price of gasoline and supergas will rise by 7%, while diesel will increase by 14%, effective May 1st.
- Critics argue the increases will devastate the productive sector, particularly during the summer harvest and for truckers, and disproportionately affect low-income workers.
Uruguay's opposition parties have unleashed a fierce barrage of criticism against the government of Yamandú Orsi, denouncing the latest fuel price hikes as "the greatest increase in history." Senator Sebastián Da Silva of the National Party declared that never before has the country seen such a steep rise, particularly for diesel, which will see a 14% jump, adding to a previous increase in April. This cumulative 21% surge over 30 days, he argues, is crippling the agricultural sector at its most crucial time – the summer harvest – and imposing unsustainable costs on truckers.
the greatest increase in history.
The impact, according to Da Silva, is devastating. He calculates that the diesel increase alone adds $1,500 per hour to harvest work, amounting to an extra $22,500 for a 15-hour workday, a burden placed squarely on the "productive country" by the Frente Amplio government. For truckers, whose rates are often pre-negotiated, the increase translates to an additional $15 per kilometer, further squeezing an already tight economic situation.
Never before has the country seen such a steep rise, particularly for diesel, which will see a 14% jump, adding to a previous increase in April. This cumulative 21% surge over 30 days, he argues, is crippling the agricultural sector at its most crucial time – the summer harvest – and imposing unsustainable costs on truckers.
Walter Verri, a deputy from the Colorado Party and former vice minister, echoed these sentiments, accusing the government of abandoning its own principles. He pointed to past statements where the government allegedly downplayed price increases, citing the Russia-Ukraine war as a reason for restraint, and now questions their current stance. Verri also highlighted the government's failure to adhere to its self-imposed reforms and the breaking of established criteria for price adjustments, suggesting a lack of sound economic management.
Nos matan a aumentos
Former vice president of Ancap, Diego Durando, added his voice to the chorus of disapproval, emphasizing that the fuel price increases are outpacing real wage growth. He specifically noted the impact on supergas prices, which heavily affect "the worker," and warned of a "historic blow" to production and job creation. The rising costs, he contends, will also negatively affect the basic food basket and small businesses, painting a grim picture of the economic consequences for ordinary Uruguayans.
Golpazo histórico a la producción (gasoil) y a los motores de la economía que generarán trabajo. Se complica la canasta básica y el comercio chico
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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