Chile lawmakers call for social reforms as protests mount
SANTIAGO, (Reuters) - Lawmakers who attended a crisis summit with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera’s ruling coalition called yesterday for reforms to tackle inequality in response to countrywide riots that sowed chaos in the South American nation and led to 15 deaths and the arrest of more than 2,600 people.
Frustrations over the high cost of living and metro fare hikes in Santiago have become a political flashpoint against the center-right government of Pinera who urged talks with lawmakers to define a “new social contract.”
Almost all of the key left-leaning opposition parties rejected the invitation to talks until Pinera showed proof of safeguarding the human rights of protesters amid reports of heavy-handedness by security forces during a weekend of riots.
Members of Pinera’s coalition and a handful of opposition figures who did attend the talks told reporters they had pushed for quick and sweeping reforms to quell the unrest and economic inequality.
“The president needs to listen to what the people are asking for, which is profound social change. He must listen to the people, not just political parties,” said former foreign minister Heraldo Munoz, head of the center-left Democratic Party (PPD).
Some politicians and protesters pointed to a leaked audio recording of first lady Cecilia Morel as proof of a disconnect between Pinera, a billionaire businessman who introduced credit cards to Chile in the 1980s, and ordinary voters.
“We’ve been overrun, it’s like an alien invasion,” Morel said in the audio, which was confirmed authentic by the authorities. “We’re going to have to cut back on our privileges and share with the rest of them.”
Protesters, still unsatisfied, gathered again in central squares in Santiago and in other cities on Tuesday as the demonstrations against inequality showed little sign of ending. Police in places began to disperse the crowds with gas and water canons. The protests were bigger than demonstrations on Monday.
Ten cities have been placed in a state of emergency and under a night curfew overseen by the military after riots broke out on Friday in the worst unrest in decades in one of Latin America’s most stable countries. The curfew was confirmed again for Tuesday night.
Rioters destroyed much of Santiago’s metro system, among the region’s most modern and extensive, causing upwards of $200 million in damages. Vandals looted hundreds of grocery stores, homes, hospitals, and government buildings throughout the country, leaving widespread wreckage in once subdued cities.
Amnesty International on Tuesday said in an open letter to Pinera that it was concerned over human rights violations, and limitations imposed by the military during city-wide evening lockdowns.