Minister Ernesto Justiniano arrives in Cuatro Cañadas to explain the scope of Decree 5698

Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano arrived in Cuatro Cañadas to explain a decree that has brought producers and other sectors onto the roads. The mobilized groups in Cuatro Cañadas and San Julián said they would lift their blockade at midnight, after giving the government 72 hours to clarify the measure.

Justiniano went to the protest point to open a dialogue with local leaders. “As we committed this morning, we have arrived in Cuatro Cañadas to set up a meeting with the leaders of the area,” he said before entering the talks.

The meeting took place at the Cuatro Cañadas Integrated Technical Humanistic Baccalaureate Module. Cuatro Cañadas Mayor Johan Bergen, the vice president of YPFB and a technical team from the state oil company joined the minister.

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As we committed this morning, we have arrived in Cuatro Cañadas to set up a meeting with the leaders of the area.

Decree 5698, issued Tuesday night, increases the monthly fuel allocation available to producers and large consumers to 2,500 liters. They can therefore buy diesel at the subsidized price of 9.80 bolivianos per liter instead of the 18 bolivianos set by the government for large consumers. The government has said the arrangement is intended to curb diesel smuggling.

“The main concern expressed by the groups blocking the roads was to increase the amount of fuel they could load, and we have done that with the decree,” Justiniano said. He added that officials were coming to hear what other needs the protesters had. Authorities said they wanted both to guarantee free movement on the highway and to maintain fuel supplies for producers in the area.

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The main concern expressed by the groups blocking the roads was to increase the amount of fuel they could load, and we have done that with the decree.