QCOSTARICA – The protest of taxi drivers and transporters this Wednesday left nine people arrested (as at 10:30 am) for blockades of major routes, such as the Rutas 27 and 32, the Circunvalacion, the General Cañas in the area of the airport, the Interamericana Sur over the Terraba river, and the vicinity of the Caldera docks, among others.
At the entrance to Liverpool, Limon, truckers left only a narrow passage, ensuing a confrontation with police as they tried to clear access.
In addition to the arrests, a number of vehicles and license plates were seized.
More confrontations, seizures and arrests occurred on the road between Sarchi and Grecia, in Alajuela.
Meanwhile, on Route 27, the transporters applied tortuguismo in the direction of San José, while in Circunvalación, dozens of taxi drivers began to concentrate in front of the Parque de la Paz to line up from there to Casa Presidencial.
A closure was also reported on Route 27, specifically at the height of Salinas, where there was an incident with a truck driver who kept his vehicle crossed, resulting in being charged with blocking the road.
The representative of the taxi drivers, Rubén Vargas, assured that the movement intends to continue throughout the country, at points such as the Nicaraguan border, the border with Panama, Moín port, Juan Santamaría airport and in the central area of San José..
Vargas explained that the reason for the protest is to request a reduction in the price of fuel and tolls. In addition, they ask for the regulation of illegal carriers.
“For days we have been requesting to be heard at Casa Presidencial, truckers with three problems: the trucks of the companies that come to leave merchandise in Costa Rica and from here leave full and while cannot do the same, we want reciprocity treatment, we want a reduction in tolls on national highways as concessionaires, that is almost an assault and the worst theft is the fuel tax,” said Vargas.
In addition, he assured that the taxi drivers will demand from the Public Services Regulatory Authority (Aresep) an “administrative closure of the piratas” (illegal cabs).
