Government Reaches Deal With Santa Cruz Transport Federations, Averts Monday Stoppage

After the Federación Departamental de Transportistas de Ómnibuses de Santa Cruz had announced suspending interprovincial, interdepartmental and international bus departures over Decree 5716's diesel-price hike, government ministers Mauricio Zamora (Public Works) and Ernesto Justiniano (Defense) met that evening in Santa Cruz with Fedetrans, the Federación 16 de Noviembre and the Federación Departamental, alongside YPFB refinery manager Jorge Paniagua and departmental transport director Wilfredo Rey, to explore ways to shield passenger fares from the diesel increase. The sides agreed to keep talks open and ruled out a Monday work stoppage; Justiniano said the government would allow peaceful demonstrations but warned "si es necesario el uso de la Policía y de los militares, lo haremos" against any attempt to block routes. Santa Cruz transport service ran normally on Sep 21.