Millions of dollars in losses to the business sector, fuel shortages and roadblocks are some of the consequences of the strike by public officials in the country.
Since the unions of public institutions started the strike on Monday, September 6, the situation has been getting worse, with no sign of an end any time soon.
In the Panamanian airport, 600 thousand gallons of jet fuel are consumed every day, and it is estimated that in the following months demand will increase by 50 thousand gallons.
The current capacity of the infrastructure only allows for storage of 1.4 million gallons of jet fuel, which is only enough to cover demand corresponding to two days of operations at the airport.
Price of the gallon of regular gasoline: Costa Rica $4.02, Honduras $3.68, Nicaragua $3.61, El Salvador $3.24, Guatemala $3.21, and Panama $2.97.
From a report by the Ministry of Economy of El Salvador:
The drop in fuel prices is largely due to record US oil production, which for a second consecutive week exceeded 10 million barrels placing it as the second largest producer in the world below Russia; as well as an increase in exports, a reduction of imports and the strengthening of the dollar in the raw material markets at an international level.[GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
Price of gallon of regular gasoline: Costa Rica $3.98, Nicaragua $3.80, Honduras $3.71, Guatemala $3.32, El Salvador $3.32 and Panama $2.99.
From a report by the Ministry of Economy of El Salvador:
The United States reported its second increase in its oil inventories on February 7 of this year, in which its production reached a record of 10.25 million barrels per day (bpd) in the last week, as reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA); where an 11 week downward streak was reversed, affected by low temperatures and the holiday season.
The country's ethanol producer has stopped supplying the additive to fuel distribution companies.
Extract from resolution 2188 issued by the National Secretariat of Energy and published in the official newspaper of Panama, La Gaceta:
"...Considering:
....that the company Campos de Pesé SA, the only company producing anhydrous ethanol used for blending with gasoline, has suspended sales of this product to importing companies - distributors of fuels, which creates a situation of shortage of anhydrous ethanol for blending with gasoline.
ASDPP, the Salvadoran Association of Petrol Distributors, reported they only receive 60% of what they order.
Despite the complaints from this leading association of petrol distributors, the Economy Ministry (Minec) assured there are 5.5 million gallons of diesel oil available to the Salvadoran market.
ASDPP requested more involvement from the Ministry in overseeing the quality of fuel being sold to gas stations, because they believe Minec has made “very little” in this topic.
For the past two weeks, gas stations selling goods from Alba Petróleos are facing shortages.
Company representatives explained that the problem was caused by a delay in one of the ships which transport the fuels, but sector businessmen argue the situation started in a refinery in Curazao.
Elsalvador.com reported that “the shortage has been worse as of lately, as stations are almost out of stock, they only have what they buy from Texaco and Esso”.
Shell Honduras, has written a letter to the Honduras government asking it to speed up the paperwork that will enable it to import fuel from Guatemala and thereby avoid an immanent supply shortage, company manager Mauricio Sierra said.
Shell advised that it requested the permit on April 3 on an urgent basis, through the Petroleum Administration Commission (CAP) and the Executive Director of Revenues (DEI).