Uruguayans president faces first strike

A one-day national strike is taking place in Uruguay against the economic policies of President Jorge Batlle, who today marks one-hundred days in office.

Reports said the strike call was widely followed in the capital, Montevideo, but less so in the rest of the country.

Uruguay's trade union federation PIT-CNT, which organised the stoppage, wants the government to tackle unemployment, running at twelve per cent.

They're also demanding wage rises, and more public funding for education and health.

President Batlle has said he understands the unions' concerns, but that his government has very little room for manoeuvre. Uruguay was hit hard by last year's currency devaluation in neighbouring Brazil, which is one of its main markets for exports.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service