Nicaraguan Workers on Fifth Day Strike
Nicaraguan Transportation Workers, on the fifth day strike in response to government´s refusal to meet their demands for state subsidy Friday started their demonstration by paralyzing service and burning tires in different areas of the capital.

According to a local radio station, the first disturbances on Friday morning took place in the northern highway to the airport and the northeastern Managua´s duty-free zones where demonstrators closing the road with more than 120 buses were vacated by the police.

Over twenty demonstrators have been arrested since Wednesday when a similar incident took place at the entrance of Sandino city.

Urban Transportation´s Regional Cooperatives Union President Rafael Quinto justified the current disturbances by saying they are impatient due to the lack of response to their demands.

In the meanwhile, President Enrique Bolaños ratified the government´s lack of funds for subsidies.

Urban Transportation Cooperatives demand a subvention of more than a million dollars a month to mitigate losses caused by increased oil prices.

Bolaños argued that 2006 budget has already been fixed with the International Monetary Fund and so any financial movement could seriously affect loan and credit programs.

Managua´s Major, expected to solve the crisis by law, does not either count on sufficient funds for the demands.

Major Dionisio Marenco and the Local Council refused the rising of fares as it would affect the poorest people forced to travel on food since the stoppage of public transportation began.