Colombia Faces Food and Fuel Shortages After Four Days of Trucker Protests

After four days of ongoing roadblocks by Colombian truck drivers, numerous warnings about nationwide food and fuel shortages are mounting. The impact is wide-ranging and affects both urban conglomerates like the capital Bogotá and rural areas. Mayor Carlos Felipe Galán stated on Thursday that the capital only has enough jet fuel for four more days and regular gasoline for six more days. The fuel distributor Organización Terpel appealed to consumers to use jet fuel sparingly at airports such as Cartagena and Bucaramanga. The blockades are also disrupting the supply of essential goods to markets, affecting the egg production, poultry, pork, and dairy industries, according to the national agricultural lobby. Agriculture Minister Martha Carvajalino reported that food supply dropped by 23% on Wednesday. Especially affected are fruits, vegetables, and other perishable goods, leading to significant price increases. "Every hour exacerbates the critical situation," she added. The administration of President Gustavo Petro is striving to reduce costly diesel subsidies that strain the state budget and complicate the financing of social programs. On August 31, diesel prices were raised by 20% to 11,360 pesos per gallon, expected to save around $380 million for the rest of the year. Munir Jalil, chief economist for the Andean region at BTG Pactual, explained that the impact of the protests on food price inflation depends on the duration of the disruption. A nationwide protest with roadblocks under President Iván Duque's government in 2022 had driven food inflation to over 25%. On Wednesday, truck drivers rejected the government's offer to roll back the price increase of nearly 2,000 pesos per gallon and instead incrementally raise it by 200 pesos monthly, reaching an 800 pesos increase by the end of the year. The state-controlled oil company Ecopetrol also reported on Wednesday that its operations are severely affected by the combination of strikes, guerrilla attacks on pipelines, and the occupation of a gas facility by indigenous protesters.