http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={E70D55E4-4814-460A-B436-093EA7A8FCC9}&language=EN

Guatemalans Protest Privatization

Guatemala, Jan 13 (Prensa Latina) Thousands of Guatemalans are taking part in a three-mile march on Friday to protest privatization, insecurity and US anti-immigrant policy.

A main objective of the march, staged from the Obelisk to the Congress of the Republic, is to reject a privatization-oriented package of reforms presented by the Ministry of Education, said leader of Unidad de Accion Sindical y Popular (UASP) Nery Barrios.

According to the Guatemalan Government, the plan seeks higher-quality education. However, leaders of the National Teachers Assembly say the neoliberal plan has not been approved by teachers.

Demonstrators are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Maria del Carmen Aceña, as well as a larger budget for the sector.

Better life and working conditions, security guarantees and an end to the wave of violence which claimed more than 5,000 lives last year, are also among the protesters´ demands.

On their way to Parliament, representatives of popular, social sectors will stop at the US Embassy to give US officials a document to protest the US decision to build a wall in order to curb immigration.

Union leaders have denounced the said policy as it will affect Guatemala, where one-third of the population lives on remittances sent by more than 1.10 million Guatemalans living in the US.

mh/rma/car