George4
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Colombian Police Use Tear Gas To Break Up Road Blockades Against Diesel Price Hikes Police in the Colombian capital Bogota cleared some roads on Thursday (September 5) using tear gas and tow trucks as protests – characterized by roadblocks - continued into their fourth day.Colombia's decision to reverse a diesel price hike that sparked a strike by truckers could adversely affect public finances, analysts said on Thursday, as majority state-owned energy company Ecopetrol said it would begin shutting off some operations amid the unrest.Finance Minister Ricardo Bonilla said the government reversed its decision to increase the price of diesel by 1,904 pesos (45 cents) per gallon, starting this month.The government is now proposing increases of 200 pesos (4 cents) per month from September to December, while strike leaders are pushing for increases of 100 pesos (2 cents) per month.Authorities and analysts warned the strike threatens shortages of food and other goods, causing an increase in prices, which would lead to higher-than-expected inflation.