Workers from Venezuela to Chile took to the streets on May 1 in large-scale demonstrations calling for higher wages, better labour protections and an end to government policies they say deepen inequality. In Venezuela, more than 2,000 protesters in Caracas denounced a recent government wage increase as inadequate, chanting "a bonus is not a salary" while pointing out that the official minimum wage has remained frozen since 2022 and is currently worth around USD 0.30 per month. In Chile, marches against the new far-right government of José Antonio Kast (elected in December 2025) targeted planned cuts to education and corporate taxes, while in Colombia the day doubled as a political flashpoint ahead of upcoming presidential elections, with President Gustavo Petro using the occasion to push for a National Constituent Assembly.