Puerto Rican workers on strike

This Reuters video says about itself:

1 May 2017

Police fire tear gas on thousands marching in the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan, protesting austerity measures as the deadline approaches for the country’s debt restructuring deal. No reporter narration.

From daily The Morning Star in Britain:

Puerto Rico: Workers strike over mass cuts

Wednesday 3rd May 2017

PUERTO RICAN workers and students walked out on Monday in a general strike over cuts imposed in response to the US colony’s debt crisis.

The May Day strike closed shops, while protesters blocked roads in the capital San Juan to the University of Puerto Rico and the city’s international airport.

Marchers blamed Governor Ricardo Rossello for agreeing to cuts to education, health, social security and other public services with the US federal control board overseeing the island.

They waved pro-independence placards and chanted: “Ricky is selling the island!”

A compromise budget Act passed by the Senate last week only went some way to relieving the $73 billion (£56bn) public deficit.

“This debt cannot be paid from the pocket of the workers,” community leader Juan Camacho said.

Spanish-speaking Puerto Rico is one of several US overseas territories with no voting representation in the Congress.

PUERTO RICO FILES FOR LARGEST EVER U.S. LOCAL GOVERNMENT BANKRUPTCY Dwarfing Detroit’s.

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