Thousands Join Paraguay General Strike
Thousands Join Paraguay General Strike
Published 21 December 2015 (6 hours 13 minutes ago)
Thousands of workers marched across Paraguay for the second general strike since 2013.
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Across the country, workers declared a general strike and rallied against the right-wing government of President Horacio Cartes. Among the key demands of labor organizers is a call for a 25 percent across-the-board wage increase, pension reforms and a relaxation of heavy restrictions on the freedom of association.
The protest is the second general strike to rattle Paraguay since Cartes took office in April 2013. The president's approval rating has collapsed since he came to office.
Labor rights activists have accused Cartes' government of stifling worker rights, including making it more difficult for unions to organize.
The strike comes as Paraguay hosts a summit of the regional trade bloc Mercosur, and a major security crackdown. As many as 2,000 troops have been deployed to maintain security during the summit.
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