SAP protests still raging: Latin America examples (Bretton Woods Project)

SAP protests still raging: Latin America examples

Country/date	Sector/measure	Protests	IMF agreement
Honduras, August 2003	Opening of the water sector to private companies, public sector wage freeze in efforts to secure IMF support	Police clashed with 10000 demonstrators after they briefly stormed the Congress	Pending
Dominican Republic, June 2003	Capping budget deficit, freezing public sector wages, raising electricity prices, import/export tax hikes etc	At least five people were hurt and 40 detained when police broke up a protest against the government's economic policies and the proposed deal with the IMF	2-year $600 million Stand-By Arrangement, August 2003
Peru, May-July 2003	Wage freeze,fiscal austerity, tight monetary policy.	Thousands of farmers health workers and teachers, marched through the capital, occupied state buildings and blocked roads. President Toledo declared a state of emergency. At least one dead and dozens injured.	2-year $347 million Stand-By Arrangement, February 2002
Bolivia, January-February 2003	Income tax hike announced as part of a package to reduce the public deficit to get access to IMF support	Clashes left more than thirty dead.	1 year $121 million Stand By Arrangement, April 2003

Sources: Reuters, Reuters Alertnet, IMF country index, see also WDM States of Unrest III

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Published: 8 September 2003 , last edited: 12 February 2009

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SAP protests still raging: Latin America examples