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Bolivia: Tanker drivers announce national strike over unpaid dues
🇧🇴 Bolivia /Economy & Trade

Bolivia: Tanker drivers announce national strike over unpaid dues

From El Deber · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • Tanker truck drivers in Bolivia announced a national strike starting August 24, demanding payment for outstanding dues from Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB).
  • The drivers also seek an update in freight rates to account for increased operational costs and other unmet demands.
  • The strike could disrupt fuel supply across the country, exacerbating existing shortages and long queues at gas stations.

Fuel supply in Bolivia faces a new threat as tanker truck drivers have announced a nationwide strike set to begin on Monday, August 24. The drivers are protesting what they describe as Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos' (YPFB) failure to meet commitments, including outstanding payments and a refusal to update freight rates despite rising operational costs.

Sergio Kosky, a leader representing the tanker drivers, communicated the decision, highlighting the state oil company's alleged breach of agreements made in July. The strike is particularly significant because these tanker trucks are crucial for distributing gasoline and diesel, both imported and domestic, from storage plants to service stations across Bolivia.

The state company has failed to fulfill commitments assumed in July.

— Sergio KoskyThe leader of the tanker drivers explains the reason behind the planned national strike.

The potential halt in operations could severely impact fuel availability in cities, worsening the already persistent issues of long queues and shortages that the country has been experiencing. This situation underscores the fragility of the fuel distribution chain.

The threat takes on special relevance because tanker trucks are one of the main links in the distribution chain of imported and national gasoline and diesel.

— El DeberThe article highlights the critical role of tanker trucks in Bolivia's fuel distribution.

This action follows a previous agreement reached on July 9 between YPFB and the drivers, which aimed to ensure the continuity of the supply chain. A key part of that agreement was YPFB's commitment to settle outstanding balances for March and April by the end of July. The agreement also included plans for working groups to discuss the drivers' request for increased freight rates and address issues related to billing, contract terms, and legal security for transport companies.

However, the drivers' decision to strike indicates that the July agreement failed to resolve the underlying structural problems within the fuel supply chain. The demand for updated freight rates is driven by increased operational costs, including difficulties in obtaining fuel, longer waiting times, logistical challenges, and fluctuating diesel prices. The strike comes at a particularly sensitive time for Bolivia's fuel market.

The problem of fuel supply in Bolivia is once again adding a new front of conflict.

— El DeberThe article introduces the escalating conflict over fuel distribution.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Deber in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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