- Title: Chile awakened: Mass protests brought major change in 2019
- Date: 17th December 2019
- Summary: SANTIAGO, CHILE (RECENT - NOVEMBER 22, 2019) (REUTERS) PROTESTER THROWS MOLOTOV COCKTAIL AT POLICE POLICE OFFICER FIRES TEAR GAS VARIOUS, PROTESTERS BEHIND SHIELDS CLASHING WITH POLICE WATER CANNON SPRAYING PROTESTERS PROTESTERS THROWING THINGS AT POLICE POLICE FIRING TEAR GAS VARIOUS, WATER CANNONS SPRAYING PROTESTERS FLAMING BARRICADE IN STREET AMID PROTESTERS SANTIAGO, CHILE (RECENT - NOVEMBER 26, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH AMERICAS DIRECTOR, JOSE MIGUEL VIVANCO, SAYING: "Members of the federal police have committed grave violations of human rights including the use of excessive force in the streets and grave abuses in detentions following these massive protests that began on October 18 and which have continued through today." SANTIAGO, CHILE (RECENT - NOVEMBER 28, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS, PEOPLE MARCHING NEAR THE MONEDA PALACE TO PROTEST THE MANY VICTIMS OF EYE TRAUMA DURING RECENT PROTESTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) 46 YEAR-OLD PROTESTER WHO LOST AN EYE, CARLOS PUEBLA, SAYING: "And they started shooting and one of those pellets hit me in the eye, due to bad luck. I lost my right eye. My eye was taken out and now I am waiting to receive a prosthesis, in order to return to a 'normal life.'" SANTIAGO, CHILE (RECENT - DECEMBER 4, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS IN PERFORMANCE PIECE "UN VIOLADOR EN TU CAMINO", OR "A RAPIST IN YOUR PATH" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING: "Because I am defending the rights of all women, who have been targeted from day one all over the planet." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS IN PERFORMANCE PIECE SANTIAGO, CHILE (RECENT - DECEMBER 6, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS, PROTESTERS AND POLICE CLASHING POLICE OFFICER RUNS BY, FIRES TEAR GAS PROTESTERS RUNNING FROM TEAR GAS PROTESTERS HOLDING FLAGS BEHIND FLAMING BARRICADE PROTESTERS BANGING ON POLES PROTESTER PLAYING DRUM PROTESTERS BANGING ON POTS PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING (Spanish) "THANK YOU BRAVE YOUTH" PROTESTER WAVING CHILEAN FLAG VARIOUS, PROTESTERS GATHERED IN PLAZA ITALIA
- Embargoed: 31st December 2019 14:23
- Keywords: Chile Chilean President Sebastian Pinera clashes constitution march mobilizations political change protests reforms timeline violence
- Location: SANTIAGO, CHILE
- City: SANTIAGO, CHILE
- Country: Chile
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00ABAD3UX3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A timeline of the sporadic protests that developed into massive mobilisations that threatened Chile's political order and have led to promises of reforms by the government of President Sebastian Pinera.
The country and one of Latin America's strongest economies has been rattled by two months of unrest.
The crisis started over a hike in public transport fares and has left at least 26 dead and thousands injured. It also has sparked fierce internal criticism of the government, as well as by international human rights groups and the United Nations for alleged human rights violations by its police and its army, which was briefly called on to the streets.
Pinera was heavily criticised for declaring early in the crisis that Chile was ''at war with a powerful enemy,'' and being slow to stamp out police abuses.
Pinera said more than 2,500 police officers had been injured in the unrest, some seriously.
International rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have ratcheted up pressure on the Pinera administration for its handling of the crisis, citing abuses by police ranging from rape to torture.
The Chilean Ophthalmological Society has said more than 200 people suffered severe eye trauma in the demonstrations, mostly due to police rubber bullets.
Pinera sent a bill to congress on Monday (December 16) to strengthen protections for the country's security forces.
The draft statute makes attacks on law enforcement officials by rioters an ''aggravated'' offence, with tougher penalties.
It also blocks offenders convicted of such crimes from applying for parole until they have served at least two-thirds of their sentences.
The Chilean police said at the beginning of December it would overhaul its riot squad and was carrying out 856 internal investigations of alleged abuses committed during the protests.
Although Chile's government had agreed to write a new constitution to replace one dating back to the Pinochet dictatorship, bowing to demands of protesters, this brought a provisional calm to a quietly tense situation.
(Production: Esteban Medel, Patrick Alwine, Geraldine Downer) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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