Managua – Bus drivers in this capital remained on strike Thursday for a fourth day to press demands for a fuel subsidy, leaving many of Managua’s roughly 850,000 commuters no alternative but walking to work.
Given the inflexible stances of the strikers and the government, prospects for a quick solution to the dispute are slim.
The drivers vow to remain on strike until the state provides them with a monthly subsidy of $1.1 million to make up losses due to the rising cost of fuel, but President Enrique Bolaños’ administration contends it is up to municipal authorities to address the problem.
Managua’s mayor, Dionisio Marenco, has responded by saying that only the national government has the financial resources to meet the strikers’ demand.
Wednesday saw the first strike-related incidents, with drivers burning tires at three different spots in the city and using their buses to block traffic in a bid to prevent owners of trucks and pickups from operating an alternative transit service.
Police acted quickly to break-up the roadblocks, firing shots into the air before moving in to remove the piles of tires and the parked buses. In one case, a few strikers hurled rocks at police.
