The National Association of Gasoline Retailers (Anadegas) is set to halt operations of the national vehicle identification electronic payment service at all 780 of its affiliated stations starting September 25, in a coordinated protest against what association leaders call unreasonably high operating costs that place an unsustainable financial strain on independent fuel station owners.
Anadegas president Juan Elías Pérez says that retailers are currently forced to surrender 27% of their total gross profits just to cover fees for the electronic payment service, a burden he describes as financially impossible for most small business owners to absorb. According to Pérez, the shutdown decision was reached through a consensus vote across all of the association’s regional branches, and leadership at both the national and regional levels will continue holding strategic planning sessions right up until the planned September 25 shutdown date.
Pérez acknowledged that ongoing mediation efforts from the Minister of Industry, Commerce and SMEs, as well as the Executive Director of Pro Consumidor, have been made to resolve the conflict, but he added that these good-faith efforts have not resulted in meaningful concessions from the other parties involved in the dispute. He also confirmed that the National Federation of Merchants and its leadership have publicly committed to full, unwavering support for the fuel retailers’ demands, with prominent business leader Iván García in attendance at the most recent meeting where the shutdown was formally approved.
“Out of 34 countries evaluated, we are the ones who pay the highest fees for the Verifón service, and we refuse to accept this unfair arrangement from any party,” Pérez said in an interview. The Anadegas president is also calling on leaders from other commercial sectors that face similar exploitative fee structures with electronic payment systems to join the movement, including operators of hardware stores, auto parts retailers, appliance sellers, and independent small supermarkets.
“Every sector that uses these services is stuck paying an abusive Verifón fee that siphons off money we earn through hard work,” Pérez added. Over the coming week leading up to the shutdown, Anadegas will roll out a national mobilization campaign, holding regional meetings to update station owners on the latest developments and coordinate on-the-ground actions for the September 25 shutdown. Pérez emphasized that broad, unanimous support for the protest exists across all 780 affiliated stations.
“We are fully prepared and completely united. Support for disconnecting the service is massive across every one of our 780 stations,” he said. While the association remains firm on its plan to move forward with the shutdown, it has reiterated that it stays open to continuing dialogue with all parties to reach a resolution. Anadegas says it will only accept a solution that establishes fair operating conditions and fee structures that do not place an unsustainable financial burden on fuel retailers across the country.