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A strike "general" in Bolivia to demand better wages and dismissal of at least three ministers began to strengthen on Friday in its second day, with the closure of most schools and universities and a partial paralysis of transportation.

However, the Government of Evo Morales continued to show unmoved by the protest, which did not affect the most important productive activities such as exporting natural gas to Argentina and Brazil, mining, and the few industries in the country, one of the poorest South America.

The strike, the second of a general and indefinite in more than five years in the government of Morales union also was declared to demand a wage increase greater than 10 percent declared last month, as insufficient the unions blamed ministers Economy, Labour and Health.

"The strike is growing, as are the gears, because the government does not want a solution, the president still leaves us in the hands of these three ministers whose resignation insensitive demand now," he told reporters the leader of the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB) , Pedro Montes.

In addition to teachers, Montes said that other sectors such as health workers, municipal officials and state mine workers have said they will join "in the coming hours" to stop that, on his first day, had a minimal impact on jobs .

The COB called Thursday for a letter a direct dialogue with Morales, but Communications Minister, Ivan Canelas, said that the conflict would be attended by ministers.

"As government we want to dialogue but they (the COB) dialogue to determine the presence of the president when the ministers who have that responsibility," said the official spokesman.

Canelas reiterated that the Government saw the protest "a desire for representation of some leaders for the coming congress of the COB, which will elect new leaders.

This conference will take place in May and not in the second half as originally announced, union sources said. Meanwhile, union leaders from various sectors who arrived in La Paz announced they would hold further rallies and blockades as those that shook the city center on Wednesday and Thursday last.

The president of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, this Friday will hold meetings with business associations and trade unions to explain the action plan agreed the previous day with President Barack Obama to seek to ratify an FTA with the United States.

Santos will provide details of the plan of action to improve respect for labor rights and trade unions in Colombia, the main obstacle it has faced in the U.S. Congress ratify the FTA signed by the two countries in 2006, said a source from the Colombian presidency.

Although business organizations were pleased with the commitment of the two presidents to relaunch the FTA, trade unions have expressed their opposition to the possible entry into force of that treaty.

Carlos Villegas, president of the National Association of Manufacturers, said Friday that if entry into force of the FTA with the United States the growth of the Colombian economy could be affected positively by one percentage point and unemployment down in two, according to their studies.

Colombia ended 2010 with a growth of 4.3% and unemployment at 11.8%.

"There are undeniable benefits to the country, we ayudararían to combat poverty and extreme poverty, "said Villegas.

However, the Unitary Workers Central (CUT), rejects the FTA with the United States claiming that "it is an agreement between companies, states and economies with very unequal levels of development. "

The union also questioned the plan of action in labor rights would not have a verification mechanism, and once implemented the FTA in that field failure "does not generate any result. "

Relatives of students crying outside a school in the western city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 7, 2011. A man, a former student of the school, opened fire at the establishment, an attack that left at least 11 dead including the attacker, and about 22 wounded. The attacker was identified as Wellington Menezes de Oliveira, 24, authorities reported.

At least 13 students died and 22 others were injured after an alleged student of a school in Rio de Janeiro on the 7th went to a classroom and fired two guns against children and adolescents.

The official Brazilian agency, citing the Fire Department released new figures.

The injured are being treated in hospital Albert Schweitzer Realengo; Saracuruna's Hospital, the National Trauma Institute and Hospital Universitario Pedro Ernesto.

Albert Schweitzer Hospital, where the wounded received first attention, made a public appeal for blood donations to meet the demand, since many victims suffered severe bleeding.

The gunman, a former pupil of school 23 years Tasso da Silveira, entered the premises on Thursday morning saying they would give a talk to students in eighth grade and, upon entering the classroom, fired indiscriminately.

Playing a mobile phone picture of the body of Wellington Menezes de Oliveira, a school in the western city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 7, 2011. An attack that left at least 11 dead, 22 injured, local authorities reported.

Wounded in the leg by a police sergeant, the shooter killed himself with a shot in the head and his body was removed from school, authorities said.

Witnesses said the attack lasted about five minutes.

The provincial secretary of Health, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sergio Cortes, had reported that most of the dead, a dozen, are aged 12 to 14 years.

According to Colonel Djalma Beltrami, Military Police, the man had with him a letter claiming to be infected with the AIDS virus, amid a series of phrases with religious content.

Public schools, under the municipality of Rio, has about 1,000 students, of which about 400 attended classes in the morning shift. The classes were suspended indefinitely.

Journalists wait in the school Tasso da Silveira, in western Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 7, 2011, where a shooting occurred this morning. Health Secretary Sergio Cortes city said the shooting on campus left 11 dead and 22 wounded.

Meanwhile, the president of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, tearfully repudiated the slaughter of children and adolescents.

"We're all united here in a repudiation of violent acts, mostly committed against defenseless people," said Rousseff in the Planalto Palace, after interrupting a speech to commemorate the inscription of a million people in a program for entrepreneurs.

He added that school massacres like the one today "is not characteristic of the country."

Rousseff asked for a moment of silence in memory of children killed on Thursday.