Salvadorians Protest Transport Tariffs
The decision to increase public transportation tariff in 50 percent from Saturday on has sparked a wave of protests in El Salvador, where two buses were burnt and some streets blocked on Friday.

Civil National Police have started patrolling the highways to prevent the population from further violent incidents as those happened in front of the University of El Salvador.

In its attempt to stop the increase on the transportation, electricity and water service tariffs, the Salvadorian Popular Social Block has assured it would continue encouraging protests.

According to Ricardo Polanco, leader of the Salvadorian Corporation of Transport Business People, the decision responds to that "the present prices of hydrocarbons are unsustainable and to the lack of governmental alternatives."

The bill of 20 cents in dollars will be raised in 10 cents in urban areas while in rural regions the increase will be higher, said Polanco without offering further details.

Salvadorian President Antonio Saca confirmed the Public Works Ministry, in charge of negotiating with the Corporation of Transport Business People, has not found a viable response to the demands.

"It is almost impossible to maintain the governmental subsidy because the country is lashed by the world economic crisis caused by the fluctuations in hydrocarbon's prices," he pointed out.