- Title: Truck drivers add to Pinera's headaches in protest-stricken Chile
- Date: 25th October 2019
- Summary: SANTIAGO, CHILE (OCTOBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF COMMUTERS WALKING THROUGH STREETS, BUSES RUNNING VARIOUS OF PEDESTRIANS WALKING, A LOT OF PEOPLE COVERING THEIR FACES BECAUSE OF RESIDUAL TEAR GAS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED COMMUTER SAYING: "A friend of mine brought me to this stop but from there, I have to take the bus but it costs too much." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING, TRAFFIC CIRCULATING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED COMMUTER SAYING: "So they decide to protest but they forget about the rest of the people who also have to work, regardless. So there doesn't seem to be any empathy with the people who have to work." VARIOUS OF PASSENGERS INSIDE METRO, WAITING FOR TRAINS, TRAINS OPERATING VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS HELPING REMOVE DEBRIS AND STONES FROM EXTERIOR OF METRO STATION MAN REMOVING A MOTORCYCLE FROM A BUSINESS THAT HAD BEEN LOOTED AND DESTROYED (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COMMUTER DENIS FUENTEALBA SAYING: "I support the mobilization, I support all of the workers but what I do not like is the destruction they are doing throughout the city, at the metro. How is the metro? Horrible. It gets fixed and then they go and burn it again so I ask, how much longer?" NIGHT TRAVELLING SHOT OF STREETS EMPTY BECAUSE OF CURFEW VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS STOPPING CARS AND CHECKING DOCUMENTS FROM DRIVERS WHO ARE CIRCULATING AFTER CURFEW AT NIGHT NIGHT TRAVELLING SHOT OF EMPTY STREETS AFTER CURFEW SANTIAGO, CHILE (OCTOBER 24, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS, SOME WEARING YELLOW VESTS, STANDING GUARD OUTSIDE OF SUPERMARKETS AND GAS STATIONS IN HOPES OF STOPPING WOULD-BE LOOTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESIDENT OF THE WALKER MARTINEZ COMMUNITY, JORGE MANRIQUEZ, SAYING: "At this moment, we are supporting our sector, we are the 'yellow vests' securing ourselves and our sector from looters of both the supermarkets and fuel." VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE WEARING YELLOW VESTS STANDING GUARD OUTSIDE SUPERMARKET AND GAS STATION SANTIAGO, CHILE (OCTOBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS) NIGHT TRAVELLING SHOT THROUGH THE STREETS AFTER CURFEW GENERAL VIEW OF SOLDIERS GUARDING PLAZA ITALIA DURING CURFEW VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS CHECKING DOCUMENTS OF PEOPLE WALKING AROUND OR DRIVING THROUGH AFTER CURFEW GENERAL VIEW OF SOLDIERS GUARDING PLAZA ITALIA
- Embargoed: 8th November 2019 14:48
- Keywords: Chile protests aftermath looting soldiers patrolling curfew cleanup
- Location: SANTIAGO, CHILE
- Topics: Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA002B2LJLFR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Chilean truck and taxi drivers brought gridlock to the capital's highways on Friday (October 25) in a protest against high road tolls that added to a week of rowdy demonstrations over social inequality.
Protests that started over a hike in public transport fares boiled into riots, arson and looting that have killed at least 16 people, injured hundreds, and caused millions of dollars of damage to businesses and infrastructure.
On Friday morning, traffic was snarled along some major access points to Santiago as tractor trailer trucks, cars and taxis slowed to a crawl, honking horns, waving Chilean flags and bearing signs of protest at toll rates.
"No more tolls! Enough with the abuse!" read bright yellow-and-red signs plastered to the front of large trucks.
Chile's unrest is the latest in a flare-up of protests in South America and round the world - from Beirut to Barcelona - each with local triggers but also sharing underlying anger at social disparities and ruling elites.
Chileans on social media, meanwhile, were planning "The Largest March in Chile" later on Friday, with rallies expected to paralyse major cities.
The streets of downtown Santiago were littered with trash and broken glass and reeked of tear gas early on Friday from the latest marches and clashes. Downtown traffic was light as many businesses and schools remained close.
Vandals set fire to underground transport trains and stops last weekend, sowing $300 million in damage and hobbling public transportation.
In some neighbourhoods, residents and volunteers lent a helping hand to clean away debris from the metro stations.
Chile's military has since taken over security in Santiago, a city of 6 million now under a state of emergency with night-time curfews.
President Sebastian Pinera, a billionaire businessman, told the nation on Thursday he had heard "loud and clear" the demands of Chileans. He said he would send a bill to Congress on Friday to boost pensions by 20% for the elderly.
On Thursday, he sent lawmakers legislation to overturn a recent hike in electricity rates, among several measures he said he hopes will turn the protests into an "opportunity".
Prosecutors said on Thursday that since Wednesday night 734 more people had been charged in connection with protests, looting and arson nationwide, with 324 taken into custody in Santiago. More than 7,000 have been charged since Saturday.
An online poll conducted by local company Activa Research of 2,090 people between Oct. 22-23 found 83% of respondents said they supported the goals of the demonstrators, but 72.5% said they did not support violence as a method of protest.
U.N. human rights boss Michelle Bachelet, a former president of Chile, said she would send a mission to her homeland to investigate allegations of rights violations. The Chilean government said it would welcome a U.N. delegation, along with representatives of global NGO Human Rights Watch.
Foreign Minister Teodoro Ribera said there was "no chance" the government would call off two major global meetings in Santiago in coming months, including welcoming U.S. President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping.
(Production: Jorge Vega, Guillermo Garcia) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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