From Paris to San Juan. Protesting pension cuts and other austerity measures.

Last week’s May Day, International Workers Day, was marked by marches and protests around the world.

In France unions and political parties of the Left continued their protest of President Macron’s attempts to cut pension benefits to retired workers.

Less reported on in the United States news media were the huge May Day protests that took place in towns across Puerto Rico.

Democracy Now! was an exception.

If Chicagoans - a city with the second largest Puerto Rican population outside of Puerto Rico - were depending on local media to report on the islands May Day actions it is no surprise we would know nothing about them.

San Juan, Puerto Rico. May Day 2023.

While the people on Puerto Rico have historically been victims of the island’s colonial status, austerity measures, imposed by an unelected fiscal oversight board created by Congress seven years ago, have only made matters worse.

The board’s austerity measures have included cuts to public education, pensions and workers’ benefits.