Three die in supermarket blaze as violent demonstrations grip Chile
Three people died in a fire in a supermarket being ransacked in the Chilean capital yesterday, as protests sparked by anger at social and economic conditions rocked one of Latin America’s most stable countries.
Santiago’s mayor, Karla Rubilar, said two people burnt to death and another died later in hospital, after a huge store controlled by US retail chain Walmart was looted.
They were the first deaths in two days of violent protest in which demonstrators set buses on fire, burnt metro stations and clashed with riot police in the city of seven million – despite a curfew.
The protests were triggered by a rise in metro fares, which President Sebastian Pinera on Saturday said he was suspending. He appealed to people taking to the streets, saying “there are good reasons to do so” but called on them “to demonstrate peacefully ... nobody has the right to act with brutal criminal violence”.
But clashes later broke out in Plaza Italia, the site of Friday’s violence, and outside the presidential palace. Protesters again set buses on fire in central Santiago, leading to the suspension of services.
“We’re sick and tired – enough already. Politicians only do what they want to do, and turn their backs on all reality,” said Javiera Alarcon, 29, a sociologist protesting in front of the presidential palace.
Video showed the security forces blasting a crowd with water cannon and riot police wrestling young protesters into vans.
“Having analysed the situation and the appalling actions that occurred today, I have made the decision to suspend freedoms and movement through a total curfew,” said Gen Javier Iturriaga, who is overseeing security during the state of emergency, provisionally set for 15 days.
Later on Saturday, the mayors of Valparaiso region and Concepcion province also announced states of emergency.
Dozens of protesters set fire to a building belonging to Chile’s oldest newspaper El Mercurio in Valparaiso city on Saturday night, while elsewhere in the city a metro station, supermarkets and shops were burnt.
Demonstrators shouted “enough with abuse,” while the hashtag #ChileDesperto – Chile awake – made the rounds on social media.
People were further infuriated by a photo of Mr Pinera eating pizza in a restaurant with his family as the city burned.