Weekly Report - 26 February 2015 (WR-15-08)

Industrial action by truck drivers in at least 12 states over the past week has impacted food production, exports and fuel supplies. Major roads in Pará, Ceará, Mato Grosso, Bahia, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul have been blocked by the truckers, who are demanding cuts in the prices of diesel and road tolls. The protesters also want President Dilma Rousseff to veto recent legislation that allows for variable shift patterns for drivers. Though the government is anxious to end the strike as soon as possible, the task is complicated by the lack of leadership among the drivers.