Paraguayan truckers cry for help after 44 days stranded between Peru and Bolivia

Paraguayan truck drivers are appealing for assistance, reporting they have been stranded for 44 days at the border between Peru and Bolivia. The prolonged delay is attributed to ongoing blockades by protesters demanding the resignation of Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz.

Claudio Arrúa, one of the stranded drivers, spoke to Paraguayan channel NPY, detailing his situation. He departed from Lima, Peru, with a trailer carrying 26 tons of materials for manufacturing footwear, bound for Asunción, Paraguay. However, the protests have halted his progress. "Today marks 44 days that we have been stranded here, and the situation is difficult," Arrúa lamented. He is currently with two other Paraguayan truckers near La Paz, Bolivia, at an altitude of approximately 4,100 meters, enduring "intense cold."

Arrúa appealed for solidarity, noting that while many in Paraguay promised help, no concrete support has materialized. He also mentioned that other Paraguayan transporters are stranded in the Bolivian department of Cochabamba. The protests and road blockades, initiated in early May by peasant unions and the Bolivian Workers' Central (COB), have gained support from sectors aligned with former President Evo Morales, all demanding Paz's resignation.

The conflict has resulted in at least 16 fatalities. Thirteen of these deaths are attributed to the lack of timely medical attention caused by the road blockades. The economic impact is also substantial, with estimated losses reaching $2.5 billion. The truckers' plight highlights the severe disruption caused by the political unrest in Bolivia.