Largest and longest ever protest in Chile turns violent in third week

Santiago, November 2: Chile is experiencing the largest and longest-ever protests with thaousands of people demonstrating on the streets demanding resignation of Chile President Sebastian Pinera. The demonstrations in Chile started more than two weeks ago when the subway fare was increased by 30 pesos. Students protested by collectively not paying the fare. The protests moved from the subway to the streets and turned into a revolt against social inequality as well as the neoliberal economic policies of all of Chile's governments. 

 

The protests have spread across the country. More than 20,000 people took to the streets surrounding Plaza Italia in central Santiago on Friday afternoon, while thousands more marched on cities across the country, just one week after the capital witnessed a protest of more than a million people. On Monday, Chilean President Sebastian Piñera reshuffled a third of his cabinet. But people continued to take to the streets. This is the largest protest in Chilean history. 

In reaction to the protest, President Sebastian Pinera imposed a state of emergency and a curfew. He sent about 10,000 soldiers out onto the streets in armored vehicles. No government has taken such measures since the end of the military dictatorship. Although the state of emergency has now been lifted, the police are still taking violent action against the demonstrators. Twenty people have died, more than 1,000 were injured and more than 3,500 arrested since the protests started. 

 

Chile has been held up as a model for development in the region, with its strong economic growth, falling poverty, and stable political system since the end of Augusto Pinochet’s rule in 1990. But it remains one of the most unequal countries in the world; the United Nations estimates that the richest 1 percent of citizens earn one-third of national wealth.

UN investigators arrived in the country on Monday after UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called for an independent investigation into the deaths and "disturbing allegations" of excessive force used on protesters.