Yapacaní protesters keep roadblock in place despite talks with Minister Justiniano

The roadblock in Yapacaní remains firmly in place, despite several hours of talks between protesters and Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano. The minister traveled to the area on Thursday as a representative of the national government to explain the scope of Supreme Decree 5698 and negotiate with the intercultural producers blocking the highway.

The demonstrators said the dialogue with the government had entered a recess while working groups continued meeting. Those groups are examining details of fuel distribution, but the main pressure measure on the route connecting Santa Cruz with Cochabamba has not changed.

The producers’ central demand remains the repeal of Supreme Decree 5676. That measure established a reference price of 18 bolivianos per liter for diesel purchased by large consumers.

The government later issued Decree 5698, expanding the monthly fuel volume available to small producers from 120 liters to 2,500 liters. The diesel price for those producers is set at 9.80 bolivianos per liter. On Thursday afternoon, the National Hydrocarbons Agency also reduced the reference price for imported diesel from 18 to 16.50 bolivianos per liter. The roadblock nevertheless continued.