Colombia protests impacts food and fuel supply in country

Three weeks after nationwide protests against the government, residents of Colombia's third-largest city, Cali, say they are fighting to get fuel and some food items.

Demonstrators blocked some of the main access roads to the city, and deliveries were severely disrupted. Cali was the scene of the worst clashes between protesters and security forces. At least 42 people were killed in the protests.

While food and medicine reached the city after a number of "humanitarian corridors" were established last week, the disruption was severe.

The protests over the past two days in Cali may have been massive, but it was peaceful to those who died or were injured during previous protests. You do not see many police on the street.

Reports of police violence are still coming from other regions of the country. Not far from here, in Popayán, dozens of people were wounded in encounters with security forces on Wednesday.

Cali is paralyzed anyway. Everyday life has been influenced by the blockages and petrol deficits: if you need a worker or someone to fix your internet connection, you will have to wait days or even weeks. Most shops were closed and their doors were spray-painted with graffiti against the government.

Young masked protesters blocked roads with branches and wires. They tell me they are protesting 'for another country', and I do not see them giving up any time soon.

Cali Mayor Jorge Iván Ospina said it was imperative that supplies be allowed without any hindrance.

"Some supplies or limited supplies are not sufficient," he stated.

However, still the agreement with protesters blocking the roads to allow delivery trucks to pass.

The city depended on food from neighboring regions to feed its inhabitants, he described.

Traders at one market declared there was a deficiency of potatoes, while those at another business stated they had received a delivery, but at a price 30% higher than normal.