Peru: General Strike Against Tia Maria Enters 2nd Day

On its second day, the 48-hour general strike against Grupo Mexico's Tia Maria mining project swept six regions of southern Peru. Residents charge the mine will damage the environment and agricultural production. The UN Regional Office for Human Rights called for a deescalation of tensions, while President Ollanta Humala declared a State of Emergency and sent the army into all regions where the general strike took place. While protests initially began in the Tambo Valley, after 67 days and in the fourth day of the State of Emergency they have now spread to all of southern Peru. Journalists, meanwhile, charge that the government is trying to silence the press. In the country's capital, congressional deputies from the Dignity and Democracy party -a split from Humala's party- and leaders of social movements accused the government of worsening the situation and called for the suspension of the Tia Maria project, the lifting of the State of Emergency, and the resignation of the Interior Minister. Rael Mora reports from Lima. teleSUR