Fuel shortages are being reported in the provinces of Guanacaste and Puntarenas, but also in some areas of San Jose, as a result of the constant road blocks created by protesters near the Recope (state’s refinery) facilities throughout different points of Costa Rica.

According to a press release offered by Recope, tanker trucks decided this Sunday afternoon not to enter the Recope facilities in La Garita, Alajuela, this to avoid the problems they are facing on the roads and when they come in and out of the installations, which they can only do with the help of the public police force.

“Recope offered all the adequate conditions for the attention of the clients and drivers; the problems of insecurity and discomfort mentioned by them are external and completely out of the control of the company”, states the press release.

As a result, only 73 tanker trucks filled up with fuel this Sunday. “Recope has enough fuel for supply, but in this case, drivers are making the decision of not entering the facilities to load the product”. Apparently drivers left the facilities at 4:30 p.m., hour and a half before closing time.

Recope confirms they will be operating normally again this Monday,September 17, starting at 7 a.m. in the facilities of Moin, El Alto (Ochomogo) and La Garita.

According to the Chamber of Fuel Businesses the majority of the tanker trucks have signed contracts with gas stations to deliver the fuel, and they face legal consequences in the event that they choose not to comply with the same; they expect that drivers resume the operations with normality this Monday.