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Clashes erupt in Honduras amid protests against fuel price hike

Friday, 20 July 2018 3:19 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 20 July 2018 3:26 PM ]

Hondurans have clashed with police in the capital Tegucigalpa during a protest against rising fuel prices.

Public transport workers, taxi drivers and university students took part in the protest on Thursday. They denounced vehicle circulation fees.

The protest turned violent when police fired tear gas and water cannons at the demonstrators, who were throwing rocks at officers.

All units of public transport, buses, taxis and mototaxis, went on strike on Thursday, after transport managers and representatives of the Honduras Institute of Land Transport (Instituto Hondureno del Transporte Terrestre/IHTT) failed to come to an agreement over rising fuel prices.

Fuel now costs about $3.74 (€3.21) a gallon in Honduras.

"The increase in both fuel and [vehicle] circulation taxes. We cannot cope with all of this, all of this is a blow to our pockets," a taxi driver said.

Another taxi driver said, "They should support us because this is of interest not only to us, taxi drivers and bus drivers. Instead, it is of interest to everyone."

A retired worker said, "Fuel consumption is connected to the cost of food, the cost of living, and that is a necessity."

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