Protests in Angola’s capital over a recent diesel price hike turned violent on Monday, with local media reporting several deaths and multiple arrests amid clashes and looting.
According to Reuters, the government of the oil-producing Southern African nation raised diesel prices by one-third this month in a continued effort to cut expensive fuel subsidies and improve public finances.
In response, minibus taxi associations raised fares by up to 50% and launched a three-day strike starting Monday.
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Novo Jornal reported on its website that at least three people were killed during the unrest, including a police officer.
According to the outlet, police deployed tear gas, smoke grenades, and fired shots into the air in an attempt to restore order.
In a statement, police confirmed that shops in Luanda had been looted and that arrests were made, though they did not specify the number of people detained.
Angola’s finance minister told Reuters in October that fuel subsidies made up about 4% of the country’s GDP in the previous year and that the government planned to continue gradually removing them. A similar petrol price increase in 2023 also sparked deadly protests.
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Image Credit: Times Live
