Hundreds of bus drivers in Lima ended their strike after government officials agreed to hold talks over the widespread extortion fuelled by organized crime and the murder of 47 drivers this year.
Most companies in the transport sector joined the call to stop work for 24 hours in several districts of the Peruvian capital after a driver was killed and another wounded by gunfire over the weekend.
The rise of extortion has pressured the unpopular administration of President Dina Boluarte, who has ordered the military to support the police in cracking down on the problem.
Police received 18,385 reports of extortion cases nationwide between January and August.
Amid heavy police presence, protesters blocked several major streets on Monday with buses — including sections of the Pan-American Highway — and burned tires.
“We don’t feel protected, with the killing of so many drivers due to extortion. We want a solution!” said bus driver Juan Carlos Pineda, 42.
“I can’t work in peace. I go to work thinking about whether I’m going to make it home alive,” he told AFP.
Transport leaders agreed to lift the strike and set up a dialogue with the government on Tuesday after meeting with Prime Minister Eduardo Arana.
“(The government) is committed to tackling this social scourge,” Arana told reporters.
Schools and universities suspended in-person classes, and some business closed their doors on Monday.
Police cleared the roads late in the afternoon without incident.
At least 47 drivers have been killed by gunmen between January and October, according to Anitra, the main union in the sector, which represents 460 companies in Lima and the neighboring port of Callao.
“We have to go out and protest to defend our lives in the face of an indolent government that has so far failed to solve the problem,” Martin Valeriano, president of the organization, told AFP.
Transport company leaders say that the gangs seek payments of up to 50,000 soles ($14,400) per month, and shoot at vehicles — even with passengers inside — if their demands are refused.
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