Truckers' Strike Paralyzes Brazil as President Courts Investors
Truckers’ Strike Paralyzes Brazil as President Courts Investors
Truckers protesting rising fuel costs blocked a major highway in Brazil over the weekend, displaying a sign that urged the military to “help the nation.”Credit Andre Penner/Associated Press
By Shasta Darlington and Manuela Andreoni
May 28, 2018
SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Brazil is roaring back, at least according to President Michel Temer.
. . .
Yet a weeklong standoff between striking truck drivers and the government has provided a stark counternarrative, illustrating the shaky recovery of Brazil’s economy, Latin America’s largest, and the widespread disdain Brazilians have toward their ruling class.
Hundreds of trucker roadblocks sealed off highways across the country as a protest against rising fuel prices ground Brazil’s economy to a halt in recent days. Gas stations from São Paulo, the financial capital, to Manaus, in the heart of the Amazon, have run out of fuel.
Dozens of flights have been canceled, fresh food supplies in supermarkets have dwindled and millions of chickens and pigs have been culled because of a lack of animal feed. On Monday, many schools and universities suspended classes.
More:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/28/world/americas/brazil-truckers-strike-economy.html
