RIO DE JANEIRO, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's President Michel Temer on Friday threatened to deploy federal forces to break up a nationwide protest by truck drivers demanding lower fuel prices.
He announced a nationwide security plan, effective immediately, that gives federal forces the authority to confiscate trucks and dismantle the roadblocks.
Temer complained the truck drivers were entering the fifth day of strikes despite reaching a deal with his government late on Thursday.
"The government had the courage to negotiate and will now have the courage to use its authority in defense of the Brazilian people," the president said.
The protest started on Monday. Drivers blocked highways across Brazil, paralyzing the delivery of goods and cargo, and sparking shortages of fuel, food and other basic supplies.
Temer described those still protesting as a "radical minority" who will "be held responsible" for "causing damages to consumers."
Truckers interviewed by local news teams said the government offered only a temporary and insufficient solution to the problem of rising fuel costs.
According to the terms of the agreement, truck drivers would suspend the strike for at least 15 days and the government would lower fuel prices by 10 percent for 30 days, and pledge to stabilize gasoline prices.
The price of diesel has shot up by more than 50 percent since July, following reforms to liberalize fuel prices.
Meanwhile, in major cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, supermarkets and restaurants are running low on fresh produce, while fruit and vegetable prices have risen twofold or more.
The fuel shortage is severe in several cities where only half of public transit bus fleets are in circulation.
Palmas, in northern Tocantins state, became the first state capital to completely run out of fuel. In Rio's metropolitan area, 90 percent of gas stations report being completely out of fuel. In Porto Alegre, capital of southern Rio Grande do Sul state, gas stations are only selling ethanol and diesel.
In the nation's capital Brasilia, the airport ran out of fuel Friday morning, leading to several flight cancellations.
