Chile

Chile cancels climate, trade summits amid protest chaos

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Chilean President Sebastián Piñera canceled two major international summits and said he would focus on restoring security and moving ahead in the coming days with an attempt to satisfy popular demands for better social services and a lower cost of living.

Thirteen days into a wave of protests that has left more than a dozen people dead, hundreds injured and businesses and infrastructure damaged, the streets of Santiago were mostly calm on Wednesday night after Piñera’s announcement. A few thousand people protested outside the presidential palace.

Chileans reject president's concessions, plan new protests

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Thousands of Chileans filled a plaza in the capital Tuesday in the 12th day of demonstrations that began with youth protests over a subway fare hike and transformed into a leaderless national movement demanding greater equality and better public services in a country long seen as an economic success story.

A move to meet one of their demands - replacing Chile’s dictatorship-era constitution - appeared to gain some momentum in the country’s congress.

Fresh protests, looting erupt in Chile despite new Cabinet

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Fresh protests and attacks on businesses erupted in Chile Monday despite President Sebastián Piñera’s replacement of eight key Cabinet ministers with more centrist figures and his attempts to assure the country he has heard calls for greater equality and improved social services.

Thousands of protesters crowded again into central Santiago, and one group set fire to a building that houses a fast-food restaurant and stores. Firefighters were battling the blaze.

Chile president lifts state of emergency, protests continue

SANTIAGO, Oct 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Monday ended a state of emergency that lasted more than a week amid mass protests, but demonstrations continued nonetheless.

The decision to lift the decree at midnight, just two days after more than a million people took to the country’s streets demanding economic and political change, comes after the equally unpopular week-long nighttime curfews ended on Saturday.

Authorities imposed both the state of emergency and curfews last weekend after Chile was rocked by its worst civil unrest in decades.

Chilean President Asks All Ministers To Resign

SANTIAGO, Oct 27 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) – Chilean President, Sebastian Pinera, asked all of his ministers to resign, as a measure to respond to social demands, after a week of street protests.

“I asked all ministers to resign, in order to structure a new cabinet, to be able to respond to these new demands and to the future,” Pinera told reporters, at the presidential palace.

He said, his government “has heard the people’s message. We all have changed. Now we have to combine forces to give real, urgent and responsible solutions to those social demands.”

Over a million protesters demand Chile president's resignation

Santiago, Oct 26; AFP/GANASHAKTI:  More than one million people took to the streets in Chile Friday for the largest protests in a week of deadly demonstrations demanding economic reforms and the resignation of President Sebastian Pinera.

The leader told the thronging masses that he had "heard the message" in a post on Twitter, characterizing the protests in a positive light and as a means towards change.

Chile protesters: Government concessions not enough

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — A new round of clashes broke out Thursday as demonstrators returned to Chile’s streets, dissatisfied with economic concessions announced by the government in a bid to curb a week of deadly violence.

Stone-throwing protesters did battle with police firing tear gas and water cannons in the capital, Santiago, and the port of Valparaiso, as hundreds of demonstrators gathered in city squares around the country. Clashes continued into the night.

11 Killed In Protests In Chile

SANTIAGO, Oct 22 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) – Protests over the weekend left 11 people dead, in Chile’s capital Santiago and the Metropolitan area, an official said.

“The official death toll we regrettably have, from the past two days is 11: three deaths on Saturday and eight on Sunday,” Santiago Mayor, Karla Rubilar, said.

The protests, sparked by a hike in subway fares snowballed into riots, against the high cost of living and lack of services, with dozens of subway stations vandalised or set on fire.

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