Trucker strike leads to arrests, food shortages in Colombia

A strike of Colombian truckers has left 49 people arrested and is causing food shortages in some regions, authorities said Wednesday.

"There are 49 people captured so far," said a report released by Minister of Interior Juan Fernando Cristo and Traffic Police Director Carlos Ramiro Mena.

"There was a specific situation on the road between the cities of Zipaquira and Ubate (central), where 11 people were captured for attacking policemen and truckers who were doing their job," Cristo said, urging protesting truckers not to harm their colleagues who chose to continue working.

The strike, triggered by unemployment in the sector, has affected food supplies in the Colombian central and southern departments of Boyaca, Antioquia, Caldas and Putumayo.

Fuel shortage has also been reported in the country's western Narino department. For now, no barricade were seen in any of the 253 branches of the national highways, for which public forces have been deployed to maintain normal traffic and military reinforcements have arrived in places vulnerable to riot.

The minister said a reward of around 8,000 U.S. dollars is offered for anyone who provides information about public order disturbance.

The government has since last week provided escort for truckers who need support to move on the roads, he said, adding that so far it has ensured the safety of about 8,000 trucks.

Trucker union representatives will hold talks with the Ministry of Transport, seeking an agreement to end the 23-day-old strike, which authorities say has already caused economic losses of over 2 million U.S. dollars, especially in the food industry. Endi