Truckers block roads in Chile protesting fuel price hikes

SANTIAGO, Nov 10 - Truck drivers across Chile staged strikes and blockades on Tuesday to protest sustained fuel price increases linked to global geopolitical volatility, disrupting traffic along the country's key north-south highway and access to ports including Iquique.The stoppage was called by Chile's 'Confederacion de Transportistas Fuerza del Norte' and the 'No+TAG' movement, which expected to gather around 4,000 truckers, though the sector's two largest associations declined to join.• Protesters are demanding government measures to contain fuel prices, changes to the MEPCO fuel-price stabilization mechanism, and modifications to the tax burden on truckers• The government said on Monday it would seek to use fiscal savings to support MEPCO• It also plans to send a bill to prevent weekly fuel price increases of more than 20 pesos ($0.02) per liter• A cruise ship canceled a planned stop in Iquique due to the potential impact of protests, according to Diario Financiero newspaper REUTERS