Amid negotiations between the government and the truckers' unions, President José Antonio Kast made a new appeal this Wednesday to the transport workers who, since Monday, have been mobilized in protest over the rise in fuel prices.
On Tuesday, the President had already addressed the situation, stating that "we have to think about Chile." Meanwhile, this Wednesday he asked them to respect the law and asserted that, if the country wants to attract greater investment, it must guarantee free transit.
During the ceremony marking the launch of AWS South America, Kast began by referring to the international context that has affected fuel prices.
"Today we are told that in Chile we have a serious fuel situation, but we are not close to the war, but we import. That war destroys oil extraction plants, destroys refineries. Of course, the price of oil may go down, but we use diesel, which is refined," he said.
He also referred to the state contribution intended to cushion the impact of fuel prices.
"When in Chile you fill up with a liter of diesel, there is $170 in state support. When you fill up with a liter of gasoline, there is $120 or more in state support. And when we look at the price in other countries, we see that in Chile the price is lower than in most countries in the Americas," he stated.
With this, he acknowledged the difficulties that e…
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Amid negotiations between the government and the truckers' unions, President José Antonio Kast made a new appeal to transporters who, since Monday, have remained mobilized in protest over the rise in fuel prices. On Tuesday, the Mandatary had already addressed the situation, pointing out that "we must think about Chile." Meanwhile, this Wednesday he asked for respect for the law and assured that if the country wants to attract greater investments, it must guarantee free transit. During the operation ceremony for AWS South America, Kast began by referring to the international context that has impacted fuel prices. "Today we are told that Chile has a serious fuel situation, but we are not near war, but we import. That war destroys oil extraction plants, it destroys refineries. Of course, the price of oil may go down, but we use diesel, which is refined," he noted. Furthermore, he referred to the state contribution aimed at cushioning the impact of fuel prices. "If in Chile one loads a liter of oil, there are $170 of state support. When one loads a liter of gasoline, there are $120 or more of state support. And when we look at the price in other countries, we see that in Chile the comparison is lower than in most countries in the American continent," he stated. Diego Martin/Aton Chile DIEGO MARTIN/ATON CHILE With this, he recognized the difficulties faced by transporters and other sectors affected by the price increase, but called for respect for the rules and keeping routes clear, linking these conditions to economic stability and the arrival of new investments in the country. "There are times when that is not seen, and I understand, because there is an urgency, there is a personal impact. But when one has urgencies in a country, one must see how to face them responsibly," he said. "Here, part of the trust, part of the stability, is that the laws are respected. That makes large investors say that Chile is an example, and that is why it is so important to call on all Chileans to comply with the law," he added. In this sense, he warned about the consequences that road blockages could have on the country's international perception: "Today it may be a specific issue in one situation, on one road, but that sets off alarms around the entire world. So, if someone wants to have more work, well, they have to comply with the law. If someone wants there to be more investment in Chile, they have to allow free transit. That is why a State is called to enforce the law." Finally, the Mandatary maintained that demonstrations are legitimate, provided they take place within the legal framework. "Demonstrations are always legitimate, and we will always agree with someone expressing their discontent, their annoyance over a specific situation. But always within the framework of the law, and that is fundamental, because we are betting the future of all of Chile," he expressed.