- The Guardian
- Issue #2051
SUDAN: Doctors Central Committee has reported that the number of people killed in clashes between the armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) rose to 425. 2091 people have been injured and 16 hospitals bombed since the start of the conflict. The continuing crisis has caused a humanitarian disaster in the country with thousands of people desperately trying to escape into neighbouring countries. The capital’s residents have limited access to basic necessities and have to endure fighters who loot and destroy homes, shops, open-air markets and businesses. Over 75,000 people were internally displaced in the first week of the fighting. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the violence could spread to other countries in the region “lighting a fuse that could detonate across borders, causing immense suffering for years, and setting development back for decades.”
FRANCE: May Day demonstrations were the largest in the last 30-40 years, with an estimated 2.3 million people taking part. People continue to protest against the pension reform despite the Constitutional Council approving the key article of the pension reform bill which will raise the age of retirement from 62 to 64 years by 2030. Around 12,000 law enforcement officers were deployed across France, with 5000 officers in Paris alone.
LATIN AMERICA: May Day was widely celebrated in Latin American countries.
ARGENTINA: Social and trade union organisations gathered to defend workers’ rights and reject International Monetary Fund (IMF) interference in domestic economic policies.
BRAZIL: The Workers Central Union (CUT) and other organisations came out in support of President Lula da Silva. The president announced an increase in the minimum wage and a bill will be sent to Congress so that it is adjusted to the annual inflation rate.
BOLIVIA: President Luis Arce led the Great March convened by the Bolivian Workers’ Central (COB) to commemorate International Workers’ Day.
CHILE: The Workers’ Unitary Central (CUT) and other social organisations held a massive rally in Santiago city. Chileans demanded tax reform to improve the wealth distribution, an increase in pensions for retirees, more jobs for young people, and the implementation of Convention 190 against workplace violence and harassment.
ECUADOR: The Unitary Front of Workers (FUT) and social organisations took part in the traditional Labour Day march and demanded the resignation of Guillermo Lasso, a right-wing president who has failed to solve the main problems that people face.
VENEZUELA: The United Socialist Party (PSUV), labour unions and social organisations called on citizens to gather and march in support of Nicolas Maduro.
PERU, URUGUAY, and PARAGUAY celebrated International Workers’ Day as well.
MEXICO: Mexico’s Senate passed reforms to mining laws, including a landmark rule that mining companies must pay a percentage of profits to local communities. The legislation also reduced the maximum length of mining concessions from 50 to 30 years. According to new laws, if no work was done on concessions for two years, the concessions can be cancelled. Authorities claim that foreign companies, usually small ones, often do exploratory work to estimate the presence of minerals, and then sit on the land waiting for bigger companies to bid. The Canadian Ministry of Commerce protested against the legislation, saying that it will affect Canadian companies.
