Two years ago, Chile was rocked by a wave of protests. For weeks, thousands demonstrated against the government every day – dozens of people were killed and injured. The situation before this year’s anniversary was correspondingly tense.
Two years after the start of a protest movement for more social justice, thousands of people took to the streets in Chile again. In the capital Santiago alone, according to police, between 8,000 and 10,000 people demonstrated against the conservative government of President Sebastián Piñera on Monday. According to media reports, around 5,000 police officers were on duty across the country.
“Not much has changed, but people have woken up and ready to speak out,” said one of the protesters in Santiago, 22-year-old student Valentina Sagrado.
In some cities, riots broke out on the fringes of the protests: a police station in Puente Alto south of Santiago was attacked and shops were looted. At least 30 people were arrested and five police officers were injured, according to a preliminary government report. Some masked protesters set fire to barriers, AFP journalists reported. The police used tear gas and water cannons against them.
Protests in 2019 led to the revision of the constitution
In October 2019 there was a massive protest movement across the country. The protests began after an increase in ticket prices in local public transport. The demonstrators then also criticized low wages, high costs for education and health, and the growing gap between rich and poor. The government came under fire for the sometimes brutal behavior of the security forces against the demonstrators. 34 people died and 460 others were injured.
One of the central demands of the protest movement was the abolition of the previous constitution. It dates from 1980 and thus from the time of the military dictator Augusto Pinochet (1973-90). Many Chileans hold it responsible for the deep gap between rich and poor.
In a historic referendum in October 2020, more than three quarters of the electorate in the South American country voted for a new constitution. The constituent assembly, headed by a representative of the indigenous minorities, began its work on Monday.
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