The protest takes place after the release the day before of 83 members of the Sindicato Único Nacional de los Trabajadores de la Industria de la Construcción y Similares (Suntracs), arrested after violent confrontations with riot units in another demonstration in repudiation of this initiative being debated in the Legislature at the proposal of the Government.

The general secretary of this organization, Saúl Méndez, has declared that they will continue to fight until the law is withdrawn, with which the Executive intends to steal the resources of the CSS and hand them over to the banks and private pension fund management companies.

Méndez also accused the President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, whom he described as a “dictator”, of ordering police repression and judicialization of the protests.

He also implicated the chief of the National Police, Jaime Fernández, for permitting abuses and cruel treatment of the construction workers who were arrested on February 12. These workers are now required to report to the prosecutor’s office every month without being able to leave their respective provinces.

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