Uruguay truckers, farmers block Route 3 protesting fuel costs, new guide

Farmers and truckers in Uruguay's Salto department blocked Route 3 on Monday, burning tires and staging protests against the government's new electronic cargo guide and escalating fuel prices. The demonstration, which halted traffic for periods, involved dozens of tractors and agricultural machinery alongside trucks.

Protesters described the new electronic guide as "nefarious" for transporters, citing excessively high fines for non-compliance relative to sector costs. However, the primary grievance is the "rejection of the increase in fuel prices," which they say negatively impacts national agricultural production.

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The situation, as it is, has become unsustainable. We cannot continue working with these costs, the liter of fuel costs almost 100 pesos, the costs keep rising, and we don't want to give up, but with this situation, we will all continue to lose until we go bankrupt.

"The situation, as it is, has become unsustainable," said Rodolfo Galeano, a decades-long cargo transporter. "We cannot continue working with these costs, fuel costs almost 100 pesos, costs keep rising, and we don't want to give up, but with this situation, we will all continue to lose until we go bankrupt."

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the implementation of the electronic cargo guide as they want it to be carried out not only affects the transporter, but also the commerce that awaits the package or cargo, the worker, the entire chain, we have already told the minister (of Transport and Public Works, Lucía) Etcheverry, but so far there are no responses or solutions.

Inés Beltramelli, another cargo transporter, added that the electronic guide affects not only transporters but also "commerce that awaits the package or cargo, the worker, the entire chain." She stated that despite conveying these concerns to the Minister of Transport and Public Works, Lucía Etcheverry, there have been no responses or solutions.

Protesters expressed weariness with what they perceive as superficial attention from authorities. "We are tired of them pretending to listen to us, they shake our hand and turn away, they don't give us answers, or worse, they tell us they can't do anything, when we know that the decision on many important issues is in their hands," Galeano said. "We need the rulers to have the will to help us and take measures, because we cannot continue like this."

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We are tired of them pretending to listen to us, they shake our hand and turn away, they don't give us answers, or worse, they tell us they can't do anything, when we know that the decision on many important issues is in their hands. We need the rulers to have the will to help us and take measures, because we cannot continue like this.