Protesters Blow Up Peru Tracks

LIMA, Peru — Protesters bombed railroad tracks and halted a train carrying 1,200 workers to jobs today, Lima police said, as a communist-led labor federation began a two-day national strike against government-approved food price increases between 20% and 100% and inflation, expected to hit 400% this year.

Strikers in the capital blocked key highways with burning garbage and leftist guerrillas sparked a blackout in the highlands, but there were no early reports of violent clashes between police and strikers, officials said.