Arguing that there is unfair treatment in the other countries of the region, Costa Rican drivers of cargo vehicles block the transit through the border posts of Penas Blancas and Paso Canoas.
At the end of September, Costa Rican authorities decided to eliminate most of the restrictions that had been maintained, and now trucks with license plates from other countries are allowed to load and unload directly in the warehouses of the companies, without prior authorization.
Although the restrictions were removed, Costa Rican pilots claim that they are treated unequally in most Central American countries.
Marjorie Lizano, president of the Costa Rican Chamber of Unitary Transporters (CCTU) told Nacion.com that despite the fact that Costa Rica relaxed the restrictions "... trucks with Costa Rican plates are required to unload the merchandise in fiscal warehouses in the rest of the countries, except Guatemala, which lifted the measure on Tuesday, June 7."
Lizano added that "... the closure of transporters in Paso Canoas, on the border with Panama, joined the demonstrations of the population against the government. At that border point the action of the community is more visible, because they even put land and other materials on the road."
In an attempt to justify that the border crossings are not closed, Duayner Salas, Minister of Foreign Trade, explained on the afternoon of October 8 that government authorities are maintaining services in Paso Canoas and Penas Blancas.
Salas admitted that the flow of cargo transport is interrupted by Costa Rican pilots.
Following the protests reported on August 29, Costa Rican authorities decided that as of September 9, units with foreign plates transiting from border to border in the country will be monitored by GPS and will no longer be given convoy escort.
As a form of protest, drivers of cargo vehicles kept the traffic blocked at Paso Canoas, a border post between Panama and Costa Rica.
Arguing that it is not allowed to leave with cargo from the rest of the countries in the region, Costa Rican transporters are protesting at the border between Costa Rica and Panama, and are asking the authorities to apply reciprocal measures.
The discontent of Costa Rican businessmen could hinder the transit of goods in Central America, and although as of midday on July 7 no blockades of cargo transport had been reported, the sector does not rule out extending the protests.
From three to five days, the time that Costa Rican carriers have available to stay in Nicaraguan territory, to unload goods or for regional transit, was increased.
Costa Rican Carriers have blocked cargo vehicles from crossing the Costa Rica - Panama border at Paso Canoas, in protest against control procedures by Panamanian officials.
The blockade has lasted five days and involves about a thousand trucks detained on both sides of the border.