Portuguese truckers protest rising fuel prices
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Around 500 truck drivers in Portugal drove in a slow-moving convoy to protest increasing fuel costs.
The trucks began their journey early in the morning from an industrial area near Porto and travelled 140 kilometers south toward Coimbra. The drivers, primarily from construction companies not receiving government fuel subsidies, initially drove slowly in the right lane to avoid blocking other traffic.
In addition to the truck convoy, drivers crossing the Tagus River near Lisbon used their horns to demonstrate against the high prices. The protesting groups asked the government to lower taxes on petroleum products, suspend toll fees, and encourage remote work. Fuel prices in Portugal recently reached record highs, with diesel exceeding 2.22 euros per liter and gasoline reaching 2.11 euros per liter.
In response, the Minister of Economy, Manuel Castro Almeida, urged households and businesses to reduce fuel consumption, believing that lowering demand is the only way to decrease prices at this time. The Portuguese government has already reduced fuel taxes since March and proposed legislation to automate this process during energy price crises, offering specific subsidies to sectors like transportation.
