Civics from Santa Cruz warned of a food crisis due to a lack of fuel

The fuel shortage in Bolivia has raised alarms in various sectors, especially in Santa Cruz, where civic leaders claim the situation threatens food security. Long lines at service stations and the paralysis of transportation threaten to affect the production and distribution of essential products.

The president of the Pro Santa Cruz Committee, Stello Cochamanidis, toured the Palmasola refinery and confirmed the severity of the problem. Dozens of tanker trucks are waiting to load fuel, while YPFB doesn't provide clear answers about the situation. “They don't show their face, we don't know if there are pending payments to the transnationals,” denounced the civic leader.

The crisis worsened after a YPFB statement established restricted hours for fuel sales during the Carnival holiday. Between March 1 and 5, dispatches were limited from 04:00 to 20:00, while the distribution of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) was suspended for three days. The measure was deemed irresponsible by Cochamanidis, who accused the Government of prioritizing the officials' rest over the needs of the population.

The Association of Private Fuel Stations of Santa Cruz (Asosur) also spoke out against the lack of diesel and gasoline. Representatives of the sector warned that delays in fuel delivery have caused the temporary closure of stations and job losses. In some rural areas, transporters have had to suspend operations due to the lack of fuel.

From the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), the response has been to downplay the crisis. “It's normal behavior during Carnival. Demand increases and causes lines, but there is fuel,” said Ángela Burgos, director of the entity's Commercialization regime. According to the official, supply will be regularized in the coming days, although she did not specify how the accumulation of tankers in Palmasola will be solved.

Does the regime not offer certainty?

Productive sectors, however, warn about the consequences of the shortage. The Eastern Transport Chamber (CTO) indicated that the harvest of key products such as sugarcane, corn, soy, and rice depends on the supply of between 70 and 90 million liters of fuel in the coming weeks. Without supply guarantees, the country could face a food shortage.

The crisis also impacts the trade unions, who fear a rise in the prices of basic products. Edgar Álvarez, a leader in the Santa Cruz sector, stated that the lack of fuel endangers the livelihood of thousands of families. “If trucks can't transport goods, we can't sell, and that directly hits the popular economy,” he warned.

For several weeks, heavy cargo and interdepartmental bus transporters have reported waiting times of up to 48 hours to refuel. In some cases, service stations have restricted diesel sales to amounts of 1,500 bolivianos per vehicle, which hinders the operation of long-haul trucks.

Héctor Mercado, president of the Heavy Transport Chamber, revealed that at least 600 trucks are stranded in Paraguay due to the lack of payment to fuel suppliers. According to the leader, this situation is due to the shortage of dollars in Bolivia, which prevents international transactions for fuel purchases.

In light of this situation, Santa Cruz civic leaders have called for an emergency meeting this Thursday, March 6. Representatives from the 15 provinces of Santa Cruz, as well as 24 affected sectors, will participate in the meeting. It is expected that pressure measures will emerge from this meeting to demand an immediate solution to the crisis from the Government.

Agustín Zambrana, vice president of the Pro Santa Cruz Committee, questioned the management of the MAS government. He also warned that the problem affects not only Santa Cruz but the entire country. “There is no money, but there are tankers ready to unload”, he added.

The risk of a food crisis is imminent, and productive sectors demand guarantees to continue operating. Meanwhile, the regime insists that the situation will normalize in the coming days, but long lines and uncertainty continue to grow in the country.