Most Nicaraguan Enterprises Against National Strike

Most of the micro, small and medium enterprises, engine of the Nicaraguan economy, rejected a 24-hour national strike called by opposition sectors

‘That call seems inadequate, harmful to the development of the economy; what we want is to work, to eliminate the barriers (roadblocks), the damage we have is very great,’ said the Vice President of the Nicaraguan Council of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Conimipyme), Freddy Cruz.

The organization criticized the unilateral decision of the Superior Council of Private Enterprise (Cosep), without taking into account the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, despite representing 87 percent of the business line.

‘I sincerely think that the real market, the daily market, is not going to join any strike,’ said the president of Conimipymes, Leonardo Torres, when he questioned Cosep for speaking on behalf of the entire private sector.

However, he left to each employer the decision to work or not, but stressed that the vast majority have been in a forced strike for two months, due to the sociopolitical crisis in the country.

The economy decreases violently with losses of more than 300 million dollars in different sectors, and the micro, small and medium enterprises work at 20 percent and tourism at zero percent, Torres estimated, reporting that more than 20,000 workers lost their jobs.

The opposition Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy called yesterday self-employed workers and public employees to cease their activities on Thursday, which led to the rejection of much of the population.

According to a statement, the goal of the strike is to support the national dialogue and demand an immediate end to the violence, which, according to government complaints, is promoted precisely by the longest-establish right-wing groups.