Honduras withdraws health, school privatization on protests

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Legislators in Honduras have struck down laws that could have privatized some health and education services, after protests left some government offices burned and some businesses looted.

The protests occurred largely in the capital of Tegucigalpa on Monday. On Tuesday, Congress voted unanimously to strike down the laws that had been approved last week.

The governing party’s congressional head, Mauricio Oliva, said the move was made “to bring peace to the country.”

Government workers concerned about being laid off had burned offices of the local government and the state telephone company and broken windows at some businesses. The government had denied the laws would cause big layoffs.

Health workers association leader Suyapa Figueroa says workers “are willing to dialogue.”