South America

It would be the second nationwide strike this year in Peru, the world's third-largest producer of copper and zinc, and fifth-largest producer of gold. A strike in May, which was halted after five days, pushed up global metals prices.

"Mine workers will go on strike tomorrow (Monday)," said Julio Ortiz, a director of the federation.

Carlos Fuentealba died in April after being struck by a tear gas grenade fired from almost point blank range. The attack took place after Jorge Sobisch, the then Governor of Neuquen and current presidential candidate, ordered police to crack down on a protest march by striking teachers.

Student protests against privatisation and for freedom of speech began several months ago, culminating in the occupation of the historical centre in San Domingo. On May 31st Colombian Police special forces (ESMAD) broke the occupation with the help of a tank. In the process causing damage to the centre, recognised as a world heritage site.

Working class protest, popular revolt, and urban insurrection in Argentina: the 1969 Cordobazo James P. Brennan

Introduction

Workers Control at Venezuela’s Sanitarios Maracay under Attack
By Megan Hise

Riodemption Songs
Directed by Jeff Zimbalist & Matt Mochary, the Oscar-nominated Favela Rising documents the development of the Afro-Reggae cultural movement in Vigario Geral, one of 600-odd illegal shanty settlements (favelas) perched precariously among the hills behind Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach which together house over 20 million inhabitants in desperate poverty.

Instead of blaming the right and the CIA for the coup like most commentators on the left, Pointblank! point out the role that Allende and the parties of the left played in demobilising the powerful working class, undermining their strength and eventually signing their own death warrants by refusing to arm them

The latest death brings the reported death toll to 4 over the last week in what has been described by some media as a general strike. The strike began when the teachers union struck against a new law requiring all teachers to sit regular competency exams (libcom.org coverge here).

Born Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira, Sócrates captained Brazil at both the 1982 and 1986 World Cups.

With Zanetti leading the drive, Inter Milan funded sports, water and health projects in the Chiapas region of Mexico, where the Zapatistas operate.

(Update 17/7)

The government is proposing to reform the education system by forcing teachers to take regular competency exams. A teacher failing the exam three times could then be fired. Unions have strongly protested, claiming that the new law will allow arbitrary sackings.

In Canada the mining group Inco has been forced to cancel deliveries as a strike by 3300 workers at its Sudbury Mine in Ontario. Workers have been on strike for a week after negotiations on a new contract broke down.

At the Collahuasi mine in Chile, one of the world's largest copper mines workers have given notice of a strike to begin Monday, they are demanding an 8% pay increase whereas management has only offered 1%, they are also asking for health and education benefits and a housing stipend.

President Evo Morales was forced to cancel a trip to Brazil due to this and several other protests.

Agreements drawn up collectively by the unemployed workers movements of Lanus, "Dario Santillan" De Alte, Brown, San Telmo y Lugano de Capital Federal, Berriso and "Oscar Barrios" de Jose C. Paz, members of the Unemployed Workers Movement "Anibal Veron"
WHY THIS MATERIAL? WHY NOW?

This is a most difficult time for revolutionary socialists. The rapid collapse and disintegration of the Soviet Union, the electoral defeat of the Sandinistas, the many problems of Cuba, and the demise of revolutionary Marxism-Leninism in Africa all force a serious questioning of basic ideas and strategies. It is a time when global capital seems to rule nearly unchallenged throughout the world.

The main demonstration took place on Monday in Caracas, with further demonstrations in
Valencia (100km southwest of Caracas) and San Cristobal (in the south-west of the country). The main demonstration was attended by 5000. There have been no official reports of casualties for this demonstration although the government has confirmed that four people were taken to hospital in Valencia.

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The strike was virtually 100% observed and shut down the entire network, which is used by over a million people every day. The workers called the strike in protest at the salary increase negotiated by the rail workers' union (UTA). Buenos Aires was chaotic with traffic jams blocking most of the city as hundreds of thousands of people tried to use the roads instead.

The trouble started when a train broke down 600 metres from Constitucion station, south of Buenos Aires. After 20 minutes a group of passengers (these trains are packed solid with no air conditioning and little ventilation) walked to the station to demand answers. When they did not get any they began to destroy the information offices.