The national teachers' association, marching in support of "quality public education" and "social guarantees."

On May Day marchers took to the streets of San Jose, Costa Rica to celebrate International Workers’ Day in traditional Latin American fashion, by protesting. Many people marched on behalf of unions or in support of human rights. By far the biggest single theme was support for Costa Rica’s social security system.

A sample of the groups which came out:

The University of Costa Rica Employees’ Union.

The National Union of Social Security Fund Employees (UNDECA).  One of the marchers is bearing a sign which reads “La Lucha es Luchando,” or “The Fight is [about/for] Fighting.”

The national nurses’ union.

The Union of Agricultural Plantation Workers.  “Without unions there is no democracy.”

I was excited to see a Belizean flag — you don’t come across them very often outside of Belize.

A sign with a short essay in support of indigenous rights.

It may not have much to do with Labor Day, but no true Latin American protest would pass up the opportunity to show Uncle Sam with fangs.