a group of 80 self-summoned Argentine carriers decided the “total cessation” of activities towards Uruguay and they will not load merchandise into the country, as a form of protest against the regulations established by the government on the payment of freight by transfer. They will also make a “surprise cut” of the steps of the three bridges that connect both countries.
The group named “Self-summoned businessmen of the international transport of Argentine cargo traveling to Uruguay” resolved the suspension of truck crossings loaded from the neighboring country, as reported through a statement. The measure has been in force since last Monday, and they have already carried out spontaneous cuts of border bridges.
Likewise, the carriers hope to extend the protest for another seven to ten days. However, there are internal groups with smaller businesses that do not want to risk losing their customers, so they choose the cut without extension of force.
The cut, although it will be a surprise, is expected for this Friday or next Monday; and will have the authorization of the Argentine National Gendarmerie and the Ministries of Transportation and Security of the neighboring country. It will affect the international steps of Leap-Concord, Paysandú-Colón and Fray Bentos-Puerto Unzué.
Meanwhile, during the week different trucks stopped on the sides of the road were observed, although without hindering traffic, and the carriers dedicated themselves to requesting collaboration with the measure from Argentine companies that have freight activities with Uruguay and vice versa.
The claim of the self-convened carriers
The objective of the self-convened group is “to be heard by the Uruguayan government”in relation to the “negative” consequences and the “null profitability” that they affirm that the new regulations implied for Argentine truckers with activity in Uruguay.
The measure of force is complementary to the administrative appeals that they have already filed against the regulatory decree of the regulations, but now they affirm that they want the current regime to be extended until October, when the presidential elections will take place in Argentina. “That would give us a huge breather because we know that this government has very little left and the situation (of the exchange rate) can change” with other authorities, they indicated from the group.
The problem for Argentine carriers lies in the decree that the government issued regarding freight payments in response to a claim from the International Road Transportation Chamber of Uruguay (Catidu).
For the entity, that the Argentine trucks collect in cash was unfair competition, therefore, the Executive forced these transactions to be carried out by transfer. For businessmen from the neighboring country, this meant a decline in revenuesince they charged dollars at the official price on this side of the border and then sold them in the more expensive parallel market on the other side of the bridge.
During Wednesday, the Argentine carriers held rallies at the three bridges, as reported by R2820. “We are businessmen and owners of Argentine transport who decided to stop cargo to and from Uruguay due to the cost disparities“, explained the self-summoned who sought to make the claim visible.
In this regard, they detailed that “the value of the Toll is very high, the Uruguayan truckers come and load the fuel Argentine three times less than what they pay there. For these inequality we ask the oriental clients a rate increase”.
Source: Ambito
