Venezuelan state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela has begun rationing diesel to truckers, four transport sector sources told Reuters, as low domestic refining output and scarce imports amid U.S. sanctions squeeze fuel supplies.
By Tibisay Romero and Mircely Guanipa / Reuters
Frustrated truckers blocked a highway in the central state of Maracay in protest over the shortages on Friday, social media images showed. Industry groups said the unprecedented rationing would create delays delivering goods to markets in the OPEC nation, reeling from a prolonged economic crisis.
The diesel squeeze came after the country suffered widespread gasoline shortages throughout 2020, prompting President Nicolas Maduro to cut longstanding heavy subsidies and import gasoline from Iran. Diesel is still distributed to truckers free of charge.
Before the recent crisis, cheap and abundant fuel had long been taken for granted in Venezuela, home to the world’s largest crude reserves.
“We are talking about an unparalleled difficulty in recent times,” said Jesus Rodriguez, president of the chamber of commerce for the central city of Puerto Cabello, home to Venezuela’s largest container port.