Port and trucking unions in the Valparaíso region have warned that they may launch protests in response to a potential rise in fuel prices, fueled by geopolitical tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran.
According to reports from biobiochile.cl, the affected sectors are seeking a dialogue with the government to mitigate the impact of rising logistics costs on both the regional and national economies.
The Chilean Port Union Confederation (Confederación Unión Portuaria de Chile) is currently in the early stages of talks with authorities. The union has already met with the Undersecretariat of the Interior and is expecting further meetings later this week.
Port leaders are also participating in a national assembly in Santiago with over 200 representatives. Their primary goal is to establish a formal negotiating table to address critical demands, such as their involvement in upcoming port tenders as current concessions approach their expiration.
Crisis in freight transport
Meanwhile, the Valparaíso Truck Owners Federation (Federación de Dueños de Camiones de Valparaíso) has denounced a dire situation in the freight sector, asserting that it is impossible to pass increased costs on to their clients.
Iván Mateluna, president of the Federation, has called on the Executive branch to implement measures to stabilize fuel prices for at least two to three months. He warned that union members will evaluate potential protests in the coming days if no changes are made.
“We are not going to accept another fuel hike. Obviously, that will depend on our members, but I believe the government, in its stubbornness, is in no way willing to help us by stabilizing prices for at least two or three months so that we can continue working with peace of mind,” Mateluna stated, according to biobiochile.cl.
The trucking union noted that the decision to mobilize will depend on the scale of the price increase once it is officially announced in the coming days.
Similarly, Patricio Fredes, national coordinator of the Port Confederation, expressed his anticipation regarding the policies the government will implement to address the situation.
“We had a working agenda with the government that has concluded, which included a mutual agreement regarding the end of concessions that is approaching very soon in several terminals across the country. We also want to see a clearer response from the government soon regarding what policies will be implemented to help alleviate this issue,” Fredes asserted.
