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Nicaragua’s Pension Reform Plan: 10 Killed in Violent Opposing Protests

Nicaragua’s Pension Reform Plan: 10 Killed in Violent Opposing Protests
folder_openLatin America access_time5 years ago
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Violent protests against a proposed change to Nicaragua's pension system left at least 10 people dead over two days.

Nicaragua’s Pension Reform Plan: 10 Killed in Violent Opposing Protests

In the biggest protests in Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's 11 years in office in the poor Central American country, people are angry over the plan because workers and employers would have to chip in more toward the retirement system.

The government is willing to hold a dialogue and Ortega will issue a formal call on Saturday, Vice President Rosario Murillo said, adding: "At least 10 compatriots have died."

Demonstrations rocked the capital Managua and nearby cities for a third day.
Besides increasing employer and employee contributions, the new law would cut the overall pension amount by five percent.

Meanwhile, students from Polytechnic University have been holed up on their campus since Thursday evading police. Other students took refuge in nearby buildings or residences.

In Las Colinas, south of the capital, demonstrators raised small barricades and with their hands raised asked the riot police not to target them.

Four independent television outlets were taken off the air after they broadcast the demonstrations on Thursday, and two were still blocked on Friday.

Murillo compared the protesters to "vampires demanding blood to feed their political agenda."

The opposition said more than 20 people were wounded while the writers group Pen Nicaragua said that at least 11 journalists were attacked while covering the demonstrations.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

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