Thousands in Morocco protest high fuel prices, soaring inflation

Thousands of demonstrators have staged a protest in Morocco against the rise of high fuel prices and other essential commodities in the country, The Associated Press reported. 

Protesters took to the capital of Rabat on Sunday to hold a demonstration outside the parliament building in addition to other cities nationwide.

Demonstrators were seen holding signs and chanting slogans against the Moroccan government for its failure to keep prices under control, which has led to poverty, according to the AP. 

Due to the recent string of protests, Moroccan authorities were deployed in force throughout the protesting site.  

Smaller protests also happened in other cities related to the economy.

The Moroccan government has blamed the spike in prices on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic recovery and international markets that have hiked prices on grains and oil as the country also deals with one of the worst droughts in decades.

According to the country’s royal palace, the national average of rainfall this season is 3 inches, 64 percent lower than normal. 

Most countries have been experiencing a string of high prices and soaring inflation, which has caused financial stress for governments, businesses and households. 

Countries have been struggling to address issues such as expensive utility bills and rising prices for food, with farmers and supermarkets passing along their products’ costs to customers who are facing a cost-of-living crisis, according to the AP. 

Moroccan residents also held demonstrations last October in protest of the government’s COVID-19 vaccine passport required for travel and access to indoor events. 

Morocco’s government made proof of vaccination mandatory for residents who enter their place of work or restaurants, and for domestic and international air travel.

The recent string of demonstrations also coincide with the eleventh anniversary of the Arab Spring pro-democracy uprisings in 2011, the AP noted.