A strike by 280,000 teachers that produced demonstrations, shut down major highways and prompted the imposition of a nationwide state of emergency in May ended with a settlement June 12. The union obtained pay concessions and called off its strike. In Ayacucho province, rebels abducted 71 oil pipeline workers June 9 but released them the next day when the army moved swiftly into action, declaring several provinces under military rule and sending 400 soldiers to the area of the kidnap. The rebels released the hostages and fled into the jungle. The rebels may have staged the incident to show the government that they are still a force to be reckoned with.
