Catherwood LibraryILR School

Members of Colombia?s public sector unions went out on strike across the country yesterday to protest plans to cut benefits, despite Colombian President Alvaro Uribe?s use of emergency security powers to curb civil liberties and prohibit some demonstrations in support of the workers. Having made a crackdown on increasingly powerful rebel groups financed by a thriving drug trade a central issue in his recent election campaign, and faced with a fiscal crisis that threatens that promise and will force the government to finance half of next year?s budget through borrowing, Mr. Uribe is looking for massive spending cuts. Pressure for benefit cuts is also being placed on Colombia by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which wants to see major reductions in the costs of the state pension system and is currently negotiating new financial support for the country.