Mr. Velazquez and the labor confederation amassed substantial political power in the 1940's.

If there is room for a concession by President Kim it might be on recognition of the outlawed labor confederation.

At the same time, the government attempted unsuccessfully to unite the nation's three major labor confederations into a single, government-sponsored organization.

The protest was called by the country's most powerful business group, Fedecámaras, and supported by the largest labor confederation, which represents more than one million workers.

But Mr. Chávez's opponents, the leaders of the country's largest labor confederation and the most powerful business group, called the strike a resounding success.

The CUT (central labor confederation) was accorded legal recognition, and its membership grew from 700,000 to almost 1 million.

The new labor confederation included telephonists, railroad workers, miners and oil workers.

Even the main Mexican labor confederation believes that job cutbacks were necessary.

The protest today was spearheaded by the 650,000-member May 1 Movement, the country's most militant labor confederation.

Today, the general labor confederation, a major base of support for Mr. Menem, urged him to take office early.