The Caribbean

Puerto Rico: general strike protests layoffs

A one-day general strike protesting plans to lay off 16,970 of Puerto Rico’s 180,000 public employees in November shut down all state-owned enterprises on the island Oct. 15.

Central America

Guatemala: one dead in anti-mine protests

President Alvaro Colom agreed to meet with indigenous leaders after a wave of Dia de la Raza roadblocks around Guatemala. A 19-year-old protester was killed by police gunfire.

The Andes

Bogotá: kidnapping charges for student protesters?

Colombia’s President Alvaro Uribe called for kidnapping charges against 22 students arrested on the National University campus after they detained the rector for five hours during a protest.