Peru's Workers Strike
Against Government
Economic, Social
policies
The General
Confederation of Workers
of Peru (CGTP) Wednesday
morning staged a 24-hour
national strike in
protest against the
government's economic
and social policies.
The strike took place
peacefully, CGTP
secretary general Mario
Huaman told a press
conference.
Hailing the protest a
"success," because it
drew national attention,
he said his organization
demanded a rise in
salaries and pensions to
cope with the hike in
the cost of living.
The movement also
demanded anti-corruption
measures by the
government and the
abolishment of the
legislative decrees
which allow the
privatization of
indigenous and communal
lands, he said.
The strikers, in
addition, asked for
workers' union and
strike rights to be
protected, as well as
attention given to
agriculture and labor
agendas, he said.
Meanwhile, Interior
Minister Luis Alva said
some 100,000 police have
been deployed across the
country to maintain
social order.
Alva said traffic flows
have remained normal but
in some provinces there
have been attempts to
blockade streets.
One hundred people have
been detained for
inciting violence and
blocking highways, he
said.
Minister of Work and
Employment Promotion
Mario Pasco said the
strike was a failure
since "93 percent of the
workers were performing
their normal daily
activities," local media
reported.
Also Wednesday, Peruvian
President Alan Garcia
praised those Peruvians
who did not participate
in the national strike.
The government knows
that it must continue to
work as planned "for the
poorest Peruvians,"
Garcia told a press
conference.
He said although some
people are dissatisfied,
they understand that
strikes, violence and
threats will not solve
the problems generated
by the international
food and fuel price
crisis which affects
countries all over the
world.
Garcia said his
administration will take
necessary measures to
curb the country's
inflation rate and boost
economic development.
"It is important to tell
the country that the
government is not deaf
to what you want to
say," Garcia said.
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