QCOSTARICA – Transit remained fluid and cargo movement through Costa Rican customs without problems, as the Fuerza Publica (National Police) on Thursday moved a police contingent to the Paso Canoas border with Panama, with the aim of avoiding possible blockades due to the threat of a group of Costa Rican transporters.
As confirmed by the director of the Fuerza Publica, Daniel Calderón, the traffic continued through the border with normality and the cargo transport complied with the routine procedures in the Costa Rican customs.
“We have a significant number of trucks making their way to continue their passage through Central America, but we still have reports of some carriers who say they have received threats so that they cannot move.
“We have enough police resources to allow safe transit and we are not going to allow any blockade, because that is a vital activity for the country,” Calderón said at noon on Thursday, August 12.
For his part, the deputy director general of that police force, Enrique Arguedas, said that groups of national transporters stayed on the edge of the road, without obstructing traffic and without generating alterations to public order.
“They are the ones who do not want to cross into Panama with their merchandise. Coinciding with the opening of Customs, we proceeded to develop a police security device for the area to facilitate the transit of merchandise heading into Panama,” said Arguedas.
The conflict
Costa Rican carriers began their protests on Wednesday, temporarily paralyzing commercial traffic through that land border crossing on the Costa Rican side.
Thursday afternoon, the Government reported that since August 1, it was in talks about the complaints of this group due to the impact of the pandemic on its commercial activity, weakened by the participation of other regional carriers.
The Presidency confirmed through its press office that it has been in contact with the complainants.
As they said, spaces for dialogue and work have been offered to develop an agenda to improve competitiveness in unit transport of heavy cargo.
Also, they assured, steps have been taken to avoid damage to third parties, by facilitating the passage of cargo in transit.
They justify the presence of the Public Force to allow the passage of carriers outside the demonstration to their transit or destination in Panama.
