Global fuel protests escalate

MADRID (AFP)


“We cannot refuel any planes, except those on urgent, military or state flights,” a spokesman for the airport authority, Rui Oliveira, told Lusa news agency.

The Spanish auto plants of Seat, Nissan, Renault, PSA Peugeot Citroen and Mercedes Benz were all forced to either cut or halt production as the strike left them short of parts.

Tens of thousands of truck drivers launched stoppages in Spain, Portugal and France on Monday to demand government help to cope with the rising price of fuel caused by soaring oil prices, which last week reached almost 140 dollars a barrel.

The protests have paralysed roads, causing huge tailbacks, notably on the Spanish-French border and around major Spanish cities, and left supermarkets short of fresh produce and some petrol stations without supplies.

On Tuesday, the protests turned deadly as two strikers were killed, while three truck drivers also suffered burns after their vehicles were torched during the night.

AFP