The Government confirmed this Tuesday night that he decided to sue invoking the State Security Law against the truckers who failed to comply with the “ultimatum” that, at the beginning of the afternoon, gave them the Minister of the Interior, Izkia Siches.
After the mobilization day on Monday, and after expressing willingness to dialogue with independent carriers (not grouped in the main unions of the sector), Siches indicated around 1:00 p.m. that he gave until 4:00 p.m. for them to clear the routes.
The message was reaffirmed around 15:30 by the Presidente Gabriel Boriconce the enlarged cabinet council that took place in the Palacio de La Moneda has finished.
“(The blocking of routes) is not acceptable and it is our duty as a Government, and my duty as President of the Republic, to guarantee free transit through our country. Therefore, I ratify the deadline until 4:00 p.m. for the roads to be released and there can be free movement“; on the contrary, “the law will prevail, and we as a government are going to enforce the law“, said the President.
At five in the afternoon The Ministry of the Interior published a statement in which it reported that, “at 4:00 p.m. (…), and in circumstances that free transit on highways and other assets for public use continued to be interrupted, the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security instructed Carabineros de Chile to go to the blocked points to enforce the lawin accordance with article 6 letters c) and d) of the State Security Law“.
Statement from the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security due to the interruption of free transit on roads and other goods for public use. pic.twitter.com/HExH69WZkR
– Chilean Ministry of the Interior (@min_interior) April 26, 2022
COMPLAINTS DIRECTED TO THE LOA A CURICÓ
Finally, after 11:00 p.m.Interior released a new statement in which confirmed that there will be lawsuits by the Security Law, given the “intransigence” of the truck drivers who failed to comply with the deadline ordered by the Government and who, in some cases, still maintain their protest.
“Due to the interruption of free traffic on the highways caused by some groups of truckers in different parts of the countryand after intense negotiations to lift this paralysis of the tracks, the The Ministry of the Interior and Public Security has decided to sue within the framework of the State Security Law, against those who are responsible of these crimes committed against public order on the Province of Loa, Antofagasta Region; and in the Curico ProvinceMaule Region,” said the Executive.
“We were willing to dialogue and seek solutions. Others preferred intransigence“, indicated the Interior, reiterating that “this stoppage prevents free movement, supply and access to basic services for millions of people.”
“Our first responsibility as a Government is with the well-being of the citizens of our country,” the brief note ends.
The Ministry of the Interior and Public Security reports: pic.twitter.com/2WuYCtR1vQ
– Chilean Ministry of the Interior (@min_interior) April 27, 2022
In the case of Antofagastaduring the day there were several rapprochement meetings between authorities, drivers and owners of independent trucks from that commune, which ended with a agreement that collects the demand for greater securityso they promised to clear the routes, although this depends a lot on the conclusions of a new round of matches this wednesday.
There was no such success in Calamabecause the demonstrators refused to remove the machines from different parts of the Loa Province, and this was what gave rise to the Government’s complaint: “We are and have always been open to dialogue, but We cannot stay without acting in the face of the violation of the rights of people“, pointed out the regional presidential delegate of Antofagasta, Karen Behrens.