Teacher unions protest budget cuts in Chile and wage claims in Venezuela

In Chile, the Colegio de Profesores has criticized Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz following suggestions that reducing teaching hours in the 2027 Budget could lead to teacher layoffs. National president Mario Aguilar described the statements as “extremely grave,” arguing that staffing decisions should be based on technical-pedagogical criteria and annual educational plans rather than economic ones. The union warned that an exclusively economic approach could severely impact student education and announced intentions to pursue legal, administrative, and mobilization actions.

In Venezuela, university professors are disputing claims made by Minister of University Education Ana María Sanjuán regarding faculty salaries. While Sanjuán stated that tenured professors can earn up to 500 dollars monthly through a combination of base pay and professional responsibility bonuses, union leaders from the Asociación de Profesores Universitarios (APUCV) argue this figure is unrepresentative. APUCV president José Gregorio Afonso noted that only a small minority of professors reach that level, with most receiving between 100 and 170 dollars. The dispute highlights the ongoing discrepancy between official government figures and the economic reality faced by the majority of educators.