Truckers from Chilean salmon zone join blockade bid for security on roads
Truckers in Chile blockaded the main road between Puerto Varas in the far south and the salmon ‘capital’ of Puerto Montt to force the government to clamp down on paramilitary groups involved in lorry hijackings.
Hauliers want the government to declare a State of Siege to “eradicate in a concrete and definitive way all the paramilitary groups installed in the southern macrozone”.
On Monday, the leaders of the Trade Union Federation of Truck Owners Associations of the South (Fedesur) met with Chile’s interior minister, Víctor Pérez, to deliver their demands.
More police
As well as a State of Siege declaration, they want “permanent security” in the conflict zone with more police presence, and security cameras with direct access to Carabineros and salmon farmers. They also request freedom from paying tolls “while there is no safety on the roads”.
Truckers are also asking that “dignified and safe places for drivers’ rest areas on Route 5 South with security guards and perimeter closure” be enabled, among other points.
Lives at risk
The president of the Puerto Montt Truck Owners Association (Asoducam), Claudio Kemp, told Fish Farming Expert’s Chilean sister site, Salmonexpert.cl, that the reasons for this national mobilisation were “mainly terrorist attacks, of which we are particularly victims as transporters, and that in in recent times have worsened, which is putting the lives and physical integrity of drivers at risk and that is something we cannot tolerate”.
He said the protest was “100% success, because we also had a lot of support from the citizens. We are very satisfied”.
Kemp also reported that, after a meeting between national leaders, the steps to follow will be determined so that their demands are effectively implemented.
25-28 trucks
On the island of Chiloé there were also mobilisations, specifically in the communes of Ancud, Castro and Quellón, where the vice president of Asoducam Chiloé, Erwin Palma, detailed that at the northern exit of Castro they parked between 25 to 28 trucks.
“At today's meeting, the government committed itself to all the points of the letter that was delivered to it, where we demand more security. The national demonstration was successful, due to the number of trucks that joined,” he said.
