"This day of violence that some groups had planned has been a failure for the most part," Interior Minister Fernando Rospigliosi said.

Trade unions and civic groups in the southern cities of Arequipa and Tacna first called for a regional strike to protest the privatization of two electric companies. Several national unions and groups in other regions then scheduled their own demonstrations to express their solidarity.

The day has been recognised as a day of Bolivarian inspired national protest against Toledo, whose approval ratings are in an all time low due to the working class consciousness and overwhelming anti-U.S. sentiment on the continent.

Government officials had warned that "extremist groups" would try to incite violence and block highways during the protests.

Rospigliosi said there were some road blockades and partial work stoppages in Arequipa and Cuzco, a province in the southern Andes that is the hub of the country's exploitative tourism industry. He noted that the situation in Lima and several northern provinces was "absolutely normal" despite the growing class anger and bitterness in the region.

Authorities also reported some blocked highways in the central Andes mountain region.

Toledo has been widely criticized for moving towards a Colombian style narco-authoritarian model and for making too many broken promises as he tries to kick-start an economy in a system which is dying as workers take matters into their own hands; a phenomenon of true historical importance.