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Unrest Spreads in Chile Despite State of Emergency | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
SANTIAGO, Chile — Protests resumed Saturday in Santiago and spread to other cities after President Sebastián Piñera declared a state of emergency in the capital on Friday night to quell demonstrations that had devolved into looting and arson targeting subway stations, banks and buses. | |
Far from deterred by the restrictions Mr. Piñera imposed, residents of Santiago, the capital, continued clashing with police officers, who responded with tear gas. | |
Troops were deployed to take control of some areas where protesters were attacking metro stations and buses. The protests have spread to at least four other cities around Chile and were expected to continue Saturday night. | |
Several organizations were calling for a national strike this Monday. The metro system, badly damaged on Friday, is likely to be closed for much of the week. | |
The demonstrations began on Friday night as a campaign by high school students, who jumped subway turnstiles to protest the second fare increase this year. But then demonstrators set fire to dozens of subway stations, several banks, buses and the headquarters of the country’s largest electricity provider, Enel. Looters stormed into pharmacies, supermarkets and other stores. | |
The state of emergency declared by Mr. Piñera imposes restrictions on citizens’ right to move about and assemble freely, and it gives the army authority over internal security. Speaking from the presidential palace around midnight, he said the measure was needed to restore order after the chaos caused by protesters, whom he called “delinquents.” | The state of emergency declared by Mr. Piñera imposes restrictions on citizens’ right to move about and assemble freely, and it gives the army authority over internal security. Speaking from the presidential palace around midnight, he said the measure was needed to restore order after the chaos caused by protesters, whom he called “delinquents.” |
As he announced the state of emergency, Mr. Piñera also said he would try to find ways to mitigate rising transportation costs. With the fare hike, a rush-hour subway ride now costs about $1.20. | |
The sight of military tanks and troops roaming the streets after Mr. Piñera’s announcement was jarring for many Chileans, given the country’s 17-year military dictatorship, during which the armed forces committed rampant human rights abuses. | |
The fare increase, which went into effect on Oct. 6, unleashed fury, coming at a time when the cost of living for poor and middle-class families has been rising while wages have remained stagnant. The average monthly salary is $807, about a fifth of which is spent on transportation. | |
“Everything that is going on is so unfair, because everything is going up: transportation fares, electricity, gas, everything, and salaries are so low,” said Isabel Mora, 82-, a retiree who receives a monthly pension of about $62. | |
On Friday afternoon, as hundreds of people stormed into subway stations without paying, the protests spilled into the streets. Special police units barged into stations and deployed tear gas, beat up demonstrators and violently dragged people from subway cars to take them into custody. | On Friday afternoon, as hundreds of people stormed into subway stations without paying, the protests spilled into the streets. Special police units barged into stations and deployed tear gas, beat up demonstrators and violently dragged people from subway cars to take them into custody. |
The subway system suspended service for several lines, and by nighttime it had shut down the entire network. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people were left stranded on the streets. Unable to board overflowing buses, many had to walk for hours to get home. | |
Government officials called the demonstrators “organized vandals” and “criminals” and announced that they would enforce an internal security law that gives the state the authority to impose higher penalties for crimes. | Government officials called the demonstrators “organized vandals” and “criminals” and announced that they would enforce an internal security law that gives the state the authority to impose higher penalties for crimes. |
Residents in the capital banged pots and pans throughout the city on Friday night. As people burned subway stations and set up barricades, the police appeared to have retreated to their units. | Residents in the capital banged pots and pans throughout the city on Friday night. As people burned subway stations and set up barricades, the police appeared to have retreated to their units. |
“The people who govern the country seem to be living in a different world from the rest of us,” said Enrique Araya, 49, a lawyer, as he banged pots with his family in front of a subway station. | |
He added that a feeling of impotence was the true impetus for the protests. “The metro fare was just the detonator,” he said. | |
The protests occur as Chile prepares to host two major international conferences: an Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit meeting in mid-November and the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December. |