Nicaragua entered its fourth day of protests against the government and the economic effects were already being felt throughout the country. Businesses have been virtually paralysed and there are food and petrol shortages in the interior. Many fear a total social and economic chaos if the protests go on. Government workers and anti-riot police have been clearing road blockades in Managua after three days of demonstrations against the government's economic policies. But scattered roadblocks were still in place. Many Nicaraguans walked to work and school Wednesday. In the capital, public transportation has been virtually paralysed. Some commuters -- although sympathetic -- were annoyed. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) 'The ones who suffer are the ones who commute and work, the ones who really have something to do. I think that if we all had something to do there wouldn't be a strike.' SUPER CAPTION: VOXPOP The Panamerican highway and other routes to neighbouring Central American countries were barricaded in places. With trucks unable to pass, food prices began to rise in the capital, Managua, and markets were running low on supplies. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) 'They (Sandinistas) are the ones who have to fight, and not the whole population. You fight if it is convenient for you because it otherwise affects everyone.' SUPER CAPTION: VOXPOP tortilla maker SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) 'We're poor and we get by with what we sell, which is for our food. Now we cannot work, there's no transportation to come here, we have to walk from Loma Linda.' SUPER CAPTION: VOXPOP tortilla maker Taxes and prices of basic consumer goods have increased under President Arnoldo Aleman's administration. The president, who called the protests a "total failure" on Monday, described them as "disturbing" on Wednesday. Down at the market they couldn't agree more with him. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) "We're going to close down because there's no one buying. I'm going to close down and go, because I've come here for nothing.' SUPER CAPTION: VOXPOP market vendor SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) 'Things are very bleak. We can no longer live in this Nicaragua. There are no investments and no jobs. We have nothing to eat.' SUPER CAPTION: VOXPOP market vendor On Tuesday, President Aleman's government rejected a proposal from protest leaders for internationally mediated talks with the Sandinista party. He called on the Sandinistas to end the protests but he yielded on a demand for legislation protecting land rights of small farmers. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) "I don't call that giving in but the better the law can get so that we solve once and for all the huge problem of property ownership then... I give in. I accept for the peace of Nicaragua." SUPER CAPTION: Arnoldo Aleman, Nicaraguan President Aleman had sent a proposal to the country's National Assembly that would give 100- thousand farmers title to the land distributed to them earlier. But the Sandinistas claimed that high interest rates related to the land transfers would soon force most farmers from those properties. Some political analysts think Aleman was following the right steps towards reconciliation, but that might not be enough. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) 'I believe that the President did well by showing flexibility, but I don't think that will be enough for the other side to end the protest.' SUPER CAPTION: Carlos Fernando Chamorro, journalist, former Sandinista and son of former president Violeta Chamorro Aleman sent two more initiatives to the assembly Wednesday that dealt with the issues of property rights and farm debts. On the streets, no direct confrontations between demonstrators and police have been reported so far. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/fa629cbf314cc54875c140a3256aa30c Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

• published: 21 Jul 2015
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