Lawsuit forces Uber to stop operating in Colombia

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Uber said Friday it will stop operating in Colombia, following stiff opposition from taxi drivers’ unions and a lawsuit that said the ride-sharing app was breaking local transport laws.

In a statement, Uber said it will cease operating in Colombia on Jan. 31 and will comply with a December ruling by Colombia’s Superintendency for Industry and Commerce that had ordered the app to shut down.

The company said that it will appeal the ruling, which it described as “arbitrary” and in violation of a free trade agreement between Colombia and the United States.

Uber said that it has more than two million users in Colombia as well as 88,000 drivers who make some or most of their income through the app. The company faces legal challenges in several other Latin American countries, including Brazil and Argentina.