MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Teamsters strike “strangling” Punta Arenas

Protesting trucks have blocked the north access to the city

Punta Arenas in the extreme south of Chile is beginning to suffer shortages of some basic goods, including fuel, as a direct consequence of a several-days’ teamsters’ strike which has virtually isolated the city by land.

Truckers are demanding special subsidies for mileage to remote areas, less Customs and traffic paperwork, --which increases costs--, and improvement of the Tierra del Fuego routes system.

Some gasoline stations reportedly, according to La Prensa Austral, have sold out some of the different fuels and there is no chance of replenishment since the loaded trucks are stationed and picketing in the main north access of Punta Arenas.

Some supermarkets fear that fresh fruit and vegetables provisions and other perishables in refrigerated trucks are in risk precisely because of the difficulty to acquire fuel.

Some trucks carrying wood and logs which are one of the cheapest heating fuels for many Punta Arenas residents are also blocked in the north access.

Another victim of the teamsters strike is the ferry service between Puerto Montt and Natales.

The ferry was able to unload on Monday but left yesterday from Natales with “zero cargo and 33 passengers”, said Jorge Biott, Operations manager for Navimag that runs the service which is the main source of supplies for Punta Arenas and Chilean Tierra del Fuego.

The Punta Arenas branch of the Chilean Teamsters union is waiting for a delegation from Santiago to arrive and help with negotiations.

The union is also lobbying in Chilean congress for funds to help subsidize land transport to remote areas, and with Customs on the documents and paperwork issue.