Chile's truckers have begun a national strike over fuel prices, with hauliers mobilising across the country from midnight on Tuesday 10 November after rejecting the government's latest attempt to cap rises in petrol and diesel prices.

The strike was called by the Confederación de Transportistas Fuerza del Norte, known as Fuerza del Norte, and is backed by the Confederación de Dueños de Camiones de la zona Centro-Sur. It is indefinite, and its organisers say most northern associations and much of the centre-south will take part.

Protests along Route 5

Truckers began gathering on Monday 9 November at several points along Route 5 Sur, the main north-south highway, including Los Ángeles, Curicó, Talca, Victoria and Osorno. Most vehicles were parked at the roadside, although in some stretches only one lane remained open, causing congestion.

The hauliers say small and medium-sized transport businesses are on the verge of bankruptcy because of rising fuel prices and operating costs. They want the price of diesel frozen, changes to the fuel price stabilisation mechanism known as Mepco, the specific fuel tax scrapped, and toll and TAG electronic charges reviewed.

Fuerza del Norte spokesman Cristián Sandoval said: "All the northern associations and most of the centre-south will mobilise." Freddy Martínez, president of the Centro-Sur owners' confederation, said the mobilisation remains in place and is indefinite, and called for direct talks with the Finance Ministry rather than communication through the press.

Government cap rejected

President José Antonio Kast's government has offered to cap fuel price rises at 20 pesos per litre for 90 days, through a bill sent to Congress for urgent discussion, which gives lawmakers six days to approve it. The two largest national transport confederations did not join the strike: the Confederación Nacional de Dueños de Camiones de Chile (CNDC) called the measure an advance, and the Confederación Nacional del Transporte de Carga (CNTC) also stayed out.

But the striking groups called the cap insufficient and late, saying hauliers have carried rising costs since March. Before the cap could take effect, petrol and diesel were still due to rise by 40 pesos per litre on Thursday 12 November, the minimum allowed under Mepco. The government said Mepco cost 1.1 trillion pesos between August and October, including 860 billion pesos to hold down diesel, and that the state currently subsidises 170 pesos on every litre of diesel sold.

Separate from the port deal

The national strike is separate from the dispute at the Port of San Antonio, where independent truckers ended a nine-day blockade of off-dock depots after agreeing an 8% rise in haulage rates. The government pointed to that deal as proof that dialogue works, but the northern and centre-south groups say their dispute, over national fuel taxes and prices, is unresolved.

The No + TAG movement, which campaigns against electronic tolls, said it would also hold roadblocks from 07:00 on Tuesday at four points in Santiago, leaving one lane free at each. The government has urged the truckers to return to talks, warning that a stoppage would damage economic activity.