Spain's car industry came to a virtual standstill today because of a nationwide strike by truck drivers angry at the soaring price of fuel.
The car makers' association Anfac said all of Spain's 18 car factories, which produce 13,000 vehicles a day and account for about 5 per cent of Spain's GDP, would be out of action by Thursday because of a lack of parts and fuel.
In recent days truckers across Spain have also blocked deliveries of fuel and food -- sparking a rush by consumers to stockpile staple goods - and have jammed up motorways, causing travel chaos for millions. The dispute has become increasingly violent - one protester was killed on Tuesday.
Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said police had arrested at least 51 protesters since the strike began on Monday, 34 of them for blocking the main motorway from Madrid to the north.
Police have so far escorted almost 3,000 trucks carrying food, fuel and medical supplies to their destinations, and Rubalcaba told distributors to call police if they needed protection to move goods by road.
He warned those on the picket lines that, although they had a right to strike, they had no right to hurt the interests of ordinary people.
"We will continue to act with maximum force against those who want to disturb public order," he told a news conference.
Seat, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Nissan, Citroen, Peugeot and Iveco all have factories in Spain as does Ford, whose Vigo plant was one of the few still operating on Wednesday, an Anfac spokesman said.