Chilean President Pinera calls for cabinet reshuffle amid protests; cleanup underway
Record ID:
1438818
Chilean President Pinera calls for cabinet reshuffle amid protests; cleanup underway
- Title: Chilean President Pinera calls for cabinet reshuffle amid protests; cleanup underway
- Date: 26th October 2019
- Summary: SANTIAGO, CHILE (OCTOBER 26, 2019) (REUTERS) CHILEAN PRESIDENT SEBASTIAN PINERA WALKING DOWN STEPS IN LA MONEDA PRESIDENTIAL PALACE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CHILEAN PRESIDENT SEBASTIAN PINERA, SAYING: "I have put all my ministers on notice in order to restructure my cabinet to confront these new demands and take care of the new times." GENERAL OF VOLUNTEERS CLEANING STREETS IN AND AROUND PLAZA ITALIA VARIOUS OF VOLUNTEERS CLEANING EXTERIOR OF METRO STATION "BAQUEDANO" VOLUNTEERS SWEEPING STREETS GENERAL OF VOLUNTEERS IN STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESIDENT AND AUTO SALESPERSON, ABRAHAM PASTENES, SAYING: "We have to clean up, it's our city, we grew up here, we live here, and destroying it is the worst way we can protest." VOLUNTEERS CLEANING PLAZA ITALIA BUS STOP TRUCK LOADED WITH DEBRIS MOVING AWAY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESIDENT AND STORE WORKER, DAVID BARRAZA, SAYING: "I believe in the demands of the movement, I believe in general terms. I do not agree with the way. I think Chile is a country with a lack of equity. Many people who are having a hard time, education, health, pensions, finally they depend on the level of income they have. And there are needs that have to be covered solely by being a citizen, a person. So, all that oppression being sustained over the years, finally ends up unleashing this." VOLUNTEERS CLEANING UP TRUCK CLEANING ROADS RESIDENTS CLEANING STREETS VARIOUS OF VOLUNTEERS PAINTING WALLS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LAW STUDENT, RODRIGO PRENAFETA, SAYING: "I invite all people to participate to prevent more disasters from happening. It is legitimate to be protesting, it is legitimate to want changes, we all want them, but let's not destroy the things that affect all Chileans." PAPER FLOWERS IN STREET / SOLDIER SEEN IN BACKGROUND SOLDIERS IN STREET SOLDIERS CLEANING UP AREA AROUND PLAZA ITALIA VARIOUS OF VEHICLES IN STREET
- Embargoed: 9th November 2019 17:01
- Keywords: Sebastian Pinera Cabinet reshuffle protests
- Location: SANTIAGO AND CONCEPCION, CHILE
- City: SANTIAGO AND CONCEPCION, CHILE
- Country: Chile
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001B2QHLC7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Chilean President Sebastian Pinera called for a major cabinet reshuffle on Saturday (October 26) in a bid to quell a week of mass protests against inequality that have rocked the South American nation.
His announcement follows a peaceful rally late Friday that saw one million Chileans flood the streets to call for reforms to the country's economic model.
"I have put all my ministers on notice in order to restructure my cabinet to confront these new demands," Pinera told reporters from the La Moneda presidential palace.
Protests in Chile began over a hike in subway fares more than a week ago but boiled into riots that have killed at least 17 people, resulted in more than 7,000 arrests and caused more than $1.4 billion of losses to Chilean businesses.
Pinera earlier in the week had declared a state of emergency across much of Chile, placing the military in charge of security in Santiago and other cities and saying the country was "at war" against vandals.
The move sparked outrage among many in Chile, who said his words and actions harkened back to the grim era of military rule under dictator Augusto Pinochet.
Speaking with reporters Saturday morning, Pinera said he would soon lift the state of emergency Sunday evening as violence and looting has begun to subside.
Pinera this week called for a new "social pact," promising to boost the minimum wage and pensions, ditch fare hikes on public transportation and fix the country's ailing health care system.
In a statement Saturday, the military said the city "had tended to normalcy...thanks to the contribution of all of its citizens," and said it would lift a military curfew on the city Saturday evening.
(Production: Jorge Vega) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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