Close to 450 heavy vehicles descended Portugal's main north-south artery yesterday in a slow-moving protest that ended with a government meeting and what organisers called a first victory for the earthworks sector. The demonstration, which the Guarda Nacional Republicana estimated at around 380 trucks, brought traffic to a crawl for five hours between Paredes and Coimbra.
##Companies say fuel costs now drive their pricing
Organisers from the earthmoving and construction materials sector said diesel accounts for nearly 70% of their final prices. Since 27 February, the price of diesel in Portugal has risen from €1.59 to €2.22 per litre, an increase of 63 cents that they described in a statement as historic and unsustainable. The sector includes companies in earthmoving, inert extraction and transport.
Miguel Machado Mendes, the lawyer representing the promoters, said 117 companies joined the convoy. The protest began at 07:40 at the Lordelo entrance to the A42, moved onto the A41 and then south along the A1, reaching the Coimbra Sul junction at 12:30. Mendes told journalists the march proceeded without incident, though it caused delays for other drivers.
##Government acknowledges sector was forgotten
Miguel Pinto Luz, the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, said the executive is analysing the sector's claims and admitted that earthworks has been forgotten in previous fuel relief measures. Speaking to journalists at the CNN Portugal Summit in Cascais, he noted these companies own their own fleets and were not covered by subsidies from this or previous governments.
"It is a sector that, in some way, has been forgotten, and it cannot be," Pinto Luz said, adding that the government is assessing their requests. The minister confirmed he will meet sector representatives on Monday at 11:00 in Lisbon and will then take a position.
Mendes called the meeting extremely positive, noting that the minister's comments marked a first step toward potential solutions.
##Simultaneous horn protest on 25 de Abril Bridge
Separately, the Association of Users of the Ponte 25 de Abril staged a horn-blowing protest during the morning rush hour. Aristides Teixeira, speaking for the group, said the action called for the resignation of Environment and Energy Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho, the reinstatement of remote work, and the suspension of tolls and fuel taxes.
Teixeira criticised recent statements by the minister, who suggested drivers reduce speed and share rides to save fuel, calling the remarks disrespectful to workers and students who rely on cars.
##Fuel prices expected to dip next week
Forecasts from the Automóvel Club de Portugal, based on data from the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology, point to a drop of around six cents per litre in diesel starting Monday, which would bring the average price to €2.161. Gasoline is expected to fall to €2.113 per litre. These figures remain projections until the week's final market close.
At stake for the earthworks sector is access to the professional diesel regime, which applies to other industries but not to construction. The government has extended tax relief on fuel and support for agricultural diesel until the end of December, but these measures excluded earthmoving companies.
Mendes framed the outcome simply: "We do not accept fatalism. It is time to stop having our arms down."
The next test comes Monday, when both sides sit down in Lisbon.
