NICARAGUA STUDENTS PROTEST

THOUSANDS MARCH in Nicaragua against government crackdown on doctors :

Thousands marched against President Daniel Ortega's government and his crackdown against doctors who treated injured protesters Managua calls terrorists.

The demonstrators chanted ''No more abuses'', ''Long live doctors'' and ''Doctors are not Terrorists,'' in solidarity with doctors the government has punished for being opposition members or caring for them.

About 100 doctors nationwide were fired from  public hospitals for tending to people hurt in the anti-Ortega unrest.

According to rights groups, 317 people have been killed and 2,000 wounded in more than three months of unrest against the Ortega administration.

The United States, the Organization of American States and the Vatican all support demands from protesters that Ortega in power since 2007 - resign, or at least agree to hold early elections.

But Ortega claims that the country would plunge into ''anarchy'' if he left power before before the end of his mandate in early 2022.

He called a counter-rally outside Central American University on Saturday demanding ''justice for victims of terrorism.''

Marchers who rallied in support of the  doctors  wore masks and scarves over fears, they said,  of being targeted for taking part.

Meanwhile a new economic analysis released on Saturday by consultants  COPADES  warned that  Nicaragua's economy  will be seriously undercut by crisis to the tune of  of more than $1 billion  in losses, and shed about 300,000  jobs. [Agencies].