Late in May 2018, Brazil edged closer to collapse. As truckers downed tools in protest against rising diesel prices, the country all but stopped. According to early estimates, Brazilian agribusiness lost over BRL 5 billion owing to the industry’s inability to distribute produce and receive much-needed supplies. The true impact of the strike, however, has yet to be assessed. According to the Institute of Applied Economics, the strike hit Brazil’s industrial activity harder than the 2008-2009 global economic crisis.
The crisis shed light on an age-old problem in Brazil: the country is extremely dependent on trucks for cargo...
