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WORLD NEWSWednesday 8 March 2017

Argentina unions protest against president’s job cuts

A union member waves a flag atop a roof as thousands demonstrate in Buenos Aires, Tuesday, Federation and backed by metallurgic industry where
March 7, 2017. Argentina’s most powerful unions brought tens of thousands of people into the other unions, demonstra- 17,567 workers lost jobs
capital’s streets to protest government job cuts, the lifting of restrictions on imports and other poli- tors waved banners and between December 2015
cies of President Mauricio Macri. white and blue national and January 2017, accord-
flags and blocked traffic ing to the Argentine Center
(AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano) along the main avenues for Economic Policy, an op-
of Buenos Aires. Unionists position think tank.
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina into the capital’s streets on other policies of President also asked for salary hikes The job cuts, the elimina-
(AP) — Argentina’s most Tuesday to protest govern- Mauricio Macri. to keep up with the high tion of tariffs aimed at pro-
powerful unions brought ment job cuts, the lifting of During the march orga- inflation and threatened to tecting the local industry,
tens of thousands of people restrictions on imports and nized by the CGT Labor stage a nationwide strike and the slashing of utility
in March or April if their subsidies have fueled la-
demands are not met by bor unrest ahead of this
Macri’s government. year’s Congressional elec-
Tens of thousands of state tions, which are seen as
employees have been key if Macri wants to con-
fired since Macri took of- tinue implementing pro-
fice last year vowing to market policies that have
reduce spending and con- been praised by investors
sumer prices. Macri says abroad.
the measures are needed “We come from five years
to revive Argentina’s weak of recession and we’ve fi-
economy, attract invest- nally returned to the world
ments and end economic in an intelligent manner
distortions under Macri’s and with extreme care
populist predecessor that when it comes to jobs,”
fanned an inflation rate of said Production Minister
around 40 percent, one of Francisco Cabrera. “This
the highest in the world. year we’re going to grow
The layoffs have hit par- and no march is going to
ticularly hard in Argentina’s stop us.” q

Colombia’s Santos may have received Odebrecht contributions

JOSHUA GOODMAN government to help it win bill for Santos’ conservative plea agreement last year in the war-torn country of
Associated Press a $100 million arbitration rival during the 2014 race. with the U.S. Justice Depart- public safety and the lack
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — involving disputes over a Martinez said his office had ment, admitted to paying of economic opportunity.
A corruption scandal that highway project. obtained new evidence some $800 million in bribes The fallout from Brazil’s
has spread across Latin It’s not clear what evidence showing how Odebrecht to win business across Latin continuing investigation
America is inching closer to existed to back up the executives introduced the America, Santos’ approval into Odebrecht is increas-
Colombian President Juan claim or what crime, if any, candidate, Oscar Ivan Zu- rating stood at 24 percent ingly implicating politicians
Manuel Santos amid new may have been commit- luaga, to a top-flight Bra- in February, near the lowest across the region. Last
evidence that suggests ted. Presidential campaign zilian campaign strategist since he took office in 2010, month, a judge in Peru or-
a Brazilian construction contributions by compa- during a 2014 meeting in according to a Gallup poll. dered the arrest of former
company paid $1 million nies other than banks are Sao Paulo and then pro- The same survey found Co- President Alejandro Tole-
for an opinion poll carried illegal in Colombia, and ceeded to pay $1.6 million lombians for the first time in do for allegedly receiving
out during his re-election Santos didn’t report taking for services to the candi- more than 12 years of poll- some $20 million in bribes
campaign. Chief Prosecu- any contributions from in- date’s campaign. ing by Gallup listing corrup- for granting a lucrative
tor Nestor Humberto Marti- dividuals. But it’s an open Santos has yet to comment. tion as the country’s top contract to build a high-
nez said late Monday eve- secret in Colombia and But just his association with problem, more than even way between Brazil and
ning his office had verified elsewhere in Latin America Odebrecht is bound to fur- the traditional concerns the Pacific Coast.q
that Odebrecht signed a where such restrictions ex- ther damage Santos with
contract with a Panama- ist that politicians regularly elections to choose his
nian-registered company turn to companies for un- successor 14 months away
linked to a local advertising declared contributions and and an uneasy coalition in
agency hired by Santos’ to pay costs associated congress needed to imple-
2014 campaign. He said with running for office. ment a peace accord with
the company’s goal was to Indeed, Odebrecht is also leftist rebels showing signs
curry favor with the Santos accused of covering the of fraying. Odebrecht, in a