Gasoline Hikes Lead to Nationwide Food Shortages, Sparking Outrage Among Mexicans teleSUR
go to original January 4, 2017

Protests continue in Mexico over oil price hike (DailyNation)

Related: Mexico: Gas Price Hike Triggers Popular Rage (Mexico Voices)

Shortages of food and basic products are being reported throughout Mexico as thousands of people have blocked fuel stations and roads across the country to protest sharp increases in gasoline prices, local press reported on Wednesday.

Trade and transportation leaders warned that since there are no official fares in freight transport it is impossible for them to increase fares in the same proportion as the government has increased the price of gasoline and diesel.

Both sectors have had to negotiate new prices and this has interrupted the shipping of vegetables, grains, meat and fruits to power stations and supermarkets, La Jornada reports.

Mexican officials argue that the hike on fuel prices conforms to a policy of the gradual liberalization of fuel prices that took effect at the start of January. The price of oil rose Sunday by as high as 20.1 percent to 88 cents per liter, with diesel at 83 cents.

There has been widespread public backlash to these price hikes with multiple protests against President Peña Nieto. The crisis has deepened due to gasoline hoarding, which has caused supply shortages in many states.

Still, Peña Nieto has promised that fuel prices would eventually decrease due to his 2014 neoliberal energy reform that ended nearly seven-decades sovereign rule over energy resources by state-run oil company Pemex.

Read the rest at teleSUR

Related: Cost of Staple Foods May Increase by as Much as 10%, Says Expert (El Universal)

Related: Mexico City Deploys 9,000 Police to Quell Gasolinazo Protests (teleSUR)

Related: Protests & Looting Across Mexico Amid Sudden 20% Fuel Price Hike (RT.com)

Related: Mexican President Defends Gas Price Hike as Protests Spread (Associated Press)

Related: Cartels Are Big Winners with Higher Gas Prices: Their Profit Margin Has Gone Up with the 15%-20% Gasolinazo (Mexico News Daily)

Related: Mexico's 'Gasolinazo' Strikes Again: Robin Hoods and Roadblocks (teleSUR)

Related: Insecurity Could Close 400 Gas Stations Today: Mexico's Largest Gas Station Operator Says Conditions May Not be Safe Enough (Mexico News Daily)

Related: Mexico Says Gas Price Protests Causing Damage (Associated Press)

Related: Mexico Inflation: Fuel Price Pain, Long Term Gain? (Barrons)

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