Truck drivers in Portugal are protesting rising diesel prices by driving at reduced speeds, SIC Notícias reports. The action took place on Friday, 25 September 2026, with slow-moving trucks used as a form of demonstration against fuel costs.
According to SIC Notícias, driving slowly has become a protest tactic, though operators had already been reducing speeds to save fuel before the action began. Agrolink reports that the increase in diesel prices is what pushed the trucks into protest.
Industry associations ANTRAM and CAP have said the government's measures on fuels are insufficient, according to Dinheiro Vivo. The same outlet reports that the cost burden will ultimately fall on consumers.
The protest extended beyond trucking. Jornal Económico reports that motorists held a honking demonstration on the 25 de Abril Bridge in Lisbon against fuel prices.
Separately, Correio da Manhã reports that the government is "analysing the demands" of the earthworks sector regarding fuels.
The dispute centres on how far the state should go in cushioning fuel costs for transport operators and other heavy fuel users. With two major associations already calling the current measures inadequate, pressure on the government appears unlikely to ease quickly.
What to watch next: whether ANTRAM, CAP and the earthworks sector secure further government concessions, and whether the slow-driving action spreads or escalates in the coming days.
