Continuing the feud between the bus drivers and the university students over the price hike of bus fares because of the higher gasoline prices...(click on pic to enlarge)
Yesterday student protests turned violent as students at UNAN attacked and burned several microbuses and even 2 government pickup trucks. Apparently the students threw "molotov cocktails" (gas in a bottle with a rag sticking out that they light) at the vehicles. Later they mortared the police with homemade mortars and fireworks. The police responded by shooting rubber bullets and tear gas and showed remarkable restraint in not dragging the protesters off to jail. They did arrest two student protesters, however, whom the news said would be charged with domestic terrorism. The U.S. Embassy has issued an advisory for all U.S. citizens to avoid these areas of Managua if possible.
Ok I think I can stay away from those areas. In fact I don't even think most people need the US goverment to recomend staying away from those areas.
Just wondering about your thoughts on this though...Why do the students...the presumably most educated in Nicaragua not understand that if gas goes up so will all the services that use gas need to go up in price. For example even here in the states there are now sometimes additional charges for shipping because of gas going up.
Posted by: connie | 2005.04.23 at 03:09 PM
The fares went up one cordoba for the buses- that's the root of the problem. They are thinking about themselves and their self-interests. As such, they are acting like spoiled children (which I bet many of them are...). I watched about 2 hours of coverage on what happened in Managua yesterday and it was pretty ridiculous what these students were doing. Just think...these are the future leaders of Nicaragua.
Posted by: Goyo | 2005.04.23 at 09:38 PM