Chile’s President Rolls Back Subway Fare Hike; 3 People Die
With soldiers patrolling the streets, it was unclear if the rollback would end the demonstrations and rioting
SANTIAGO, CHILE - Protests and violence in Chile spilled over into a new day Sunday even after the president cancelled a subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations.
Officials in the Santiago region said three people died in a fire at a looted supermarket early Sunday — one of 60 Walmart-owned outlets that have been vandalized, and the company said many stores did not open during the day.
At least two airlines cancelled or rescheduled flights into the capital, affecting more than 1,400 passengers Sunday and Monday.
President Sebastián Piñera, facing the worst crisis of his second term as head of the South American country, announced Saturday night he was cancelling a subway fare hike imposed two weeks ago. It had led to major protests that included rioting that caused millions of dollars in damage to burned buses and vandalized subway stops, office buildings and stores.
Troops patrolled the streets and a state of emergency and curfew remained in effect for six Chilean cities, but renewed protests continued after daybreak. Security forces used tear gas and jets of water to try disperse crowds.
Interior Minister Andrés Chadwick reported that 62 police and 11 civilians were injured in the latest disturbances and prosecutors said nearly 1,500 people had been arrested.
Chile President Declares State of Emergency After Violent Protests
An increase the price of a metro ticket kicked off the protests
With transportation frozen, Cynthia Cordero said she had walked 20 blocks to reach a pharmacy to buy diapers, only to find it had been burned.
“They don’t have the right to do this,” she said, adding it was right to protest “against the abuses, the increases in fares, against bad education and an undignified pension, but not to destroy.”
Long lines formed at gas stations as people tried to fill up for a coming workweek with a public transport system depleted by the destructive protests.
Subway system chief Louis De Grange said workers would try to have at least one line running Monday, but he said it could take weeks or months to have the four others back in service.