Highway blocking truckers face sanctions

DUMP TRUCK  drivers who blocked the Corridor Sur for four hours on Tuesday, July 18 got a cool reception from Minister of the Presidency Álvaro Alemán  who warned that said that some of the protesters  will be sanctioned.

Members of the Association of Dump Truck Transporters of Panama tried to move from La Dona in Tocumen to the Presidency in rejection of Law 51 that regulates cargo transportation and would increase tariffs on the corridors.

Before reaching  the first checkpoint of Ciudad Radial, the National Police, prevented them from crossing.

The police  action upset  the protesters, who responded by closing the Corridor to thousand of vehicles moving to the capital.

After negotiations including    Security Minister Alexis Bethancourt participated, demonstrators agreed to reopen the highway.

Julio González, director of the Transport d (ATTT), tol media that these drivers are part of an ongoing  dialogue table and that before taking action, they refused to talk about the new regulations.

Members of the truckers’ association voiced their concerns  about  restriction of schedules  on the Centenario road and corridors (4:00 am to 8:00 am) owm ed by the ICA company  and the review of the and tariffs in the North and South corridors.

Wilford Carrera, leader of the carriers, described the meeting with Alemán as positive and added that “at no time was the intention to disrespect the president (Juan Carlos) Varela and his government team.”

Panamamenista  deputy José Luis Varela  was not impressed.

“This is a government of dialogue and consensus, but thirty truck drivers injuring  200,000 Panamanians is unacceptable. Take their plate s away! “he  said through his Twitter account.

Panama’s former US ambassador, Eloy Alfaro, also rejected  the way drivers protested.

“Truckers are the users who with their weight do the most damage to the corridors   but do not want to pay the price of the toll,” Alfaro said in a message on  his social networks.

The truck drivers have carried out several protest actions in different parts of the country.

On Monday, July 17, they held a demonstration on in  Tumba Muerto, where they reported that they are victims of unfair competition by foreigners.