Transcript for the Piece Audio version of Teacher's death sparks protest in Argentina

In Latin America - Argentina?s teachers and trade unions participated in a nationwide strike today to protest police violence against teachers in the Southern province of Neuquen. FSRN?s Marie Trigona reports from Buenos Aires.

Teachers led massive marches throughout Argentina today to demand justice for Carlos Fuentealba, a 42-year-old public educator who died last week after a policeman shot him at close range in the head with a tear gas canister. Argentina?s main teachers union is holding a 24-hour strike, while the state-worker umbrella unions held a 2-hour work stoppage. This included public transportation workers. Teachers in white work smocks led the march in Buenos Aires, carrying letters which spelled out "Nunca Mas" or "Never again". Alejandra Bonatto is a Buenos Aires public school teacher from the Union of Education Workers (sound): "This protest is against Governor Sobich. I think us teachers deserve to be at the forefront of this struggle because we are the future of this country. The death of a companero is the death of all us; the students, education, teachers and the future of the nation." In the province of Neuquen, unionized teachers continue to block the major highway leading to Nuequen?s capital, where tensions remain high. Unionists, human rights groups and local organizations are demanding the resignation of Governor Jorge Sobich and they want members of his ruling right-wing party, the Popular Movement of Neuqu?n (MPN), to leave with him. For Free Speech Radio News, I'm Marie Trigona in Buenos Aires.