To be able to ship cargo throughout the region, Central American business leaders are exploring options for moving goods using alternative methods, such as shipping.
Representatives from the Costa Rican government and the union of exporters met to address the issue of blockades in Nicaragua and the logistical drawbacks that they have caused, since Costa Rica transports by land about five thousand containers to the other Central American countries every month. As a result of this meeting, both parties concluded that the most viable option is to use maritime transport.
The Government and the union agreed to meet in the coming days to resolve complaints made by the industry, which resulted in two days of strikes and business losses of at least $10 million.
The blockade by truckers on the border between Costa Rica and Panama, organized by the National Chamber of Cargo Transportation (Canacarga) and the Truckers Union of Chiriqui (Sicachi), was suspended on the night of February 16, after a party from the Government of Panama went from the capital to the province of Chiriqui.
The union has exhausted dialogue with the regional government of Chiriqui and is a blockading the border preventing the movement of freight carriers in Central America.
The provincial government in Chiriqui has failed to prevent Panamanian carriers, organized by the National Chamber of Cargo Transportation in Panama, (Canatraca) from indefinitely blocking the passage of trucks across the border in Paso Canoas (information at time of going to press at 3:30 p.m).