Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori said on Friday the government will implement short-term fuel subsidies for drivers working in cargo and passenger transportation, aiming to offset the burden of higher costs that have set off protests in part of the South American country.
The subsidies will begin on Saturday and be in place for three months, Fujimori said, with levels between 15% and 20% depending on how prices fluctuate.
"This is a director support, especially to those who need it most," Fujimori said, speaking alongside Economy Minister Elmer Cuba in a press conference. "This is a temporary mechanism to cushion the extraordinary increase in fuel prices."
The move comes after transport workers and other protesters blocked roads and burned tires on Wednesday in the city of Pucallpa, near the border with Brazil, as anger grew over the sharp rise in prices.
Local groups have also gone on strike in the eastern region of Ucayali, demanding government action to mitigate the higher prices that they say are squeezing households and businesses far from the capital Lima.
