Strike Brings Bolivia to Halt
Bolivian workers began a 48-hour general strike today to protest an austere government economic package and said they will make it indefinite if the government attempts to repress the protest.
President Victor Paz Estenssoro, who took office on Aug. 6, introduced the austerity measures last week in a bid to curb annual inflation running at 14,000%. The package included a four-month freeze on public employees’ wages and effectively devalued Bolivia’s currency by about 95%.
The strike brought Bolivia to a virtual standstill, with only emergency public services working. All private radio and television stations stopped broadcasting and the workers confederation arranged a communications network run by leaders of the broadcasting unions.
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