- Title: Thousands of Mexicans protest gasoline price hikes
- Date: 8th January 2017
- Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (JANUARY 7, 2017) (REUTERS) WIDE OF ACTIVISTS WALKING DOWN PASEO DE LA REFORMA TO PROTEST RISE IN GASOLINE PRICES PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH POSTER THAT SAYS 'NO TO GASOLINE PRICE HIKE! PENA OUT!' VARIOUS OF PROTEST PROTESTERS CHANTING: 'NO TO GASOLINE PRICE HIKE!' (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JORGE ALCANTARA, PROTESTER, SAYING: "I think we have reached a point where the people have to do something for the people. We have seen that we don't have authorities who will protect us, that there is no legislation that protects us. To the contrary, they protect the businessman, they protect the politician, they protect the rich. The people are progressively worse." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERED AT THE ANGEL OF INDEPENDENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ESTHER RIVERA, PROTESTER, SAYING: "We are annoyed at the ineptitude of our president. I think that, among the last things that has impacted all of us is this rise in gasoline prices. But we don't realize that it's not just the impact of this rise in gasoline, but everything that will come as a consequence of this." PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH BANNER THAT READS: 'POPULAR JUSTICE TO THOSE WHO SIGNED THE PACT FOR MEXICO' PROTESTERS IN ZOCALO PLAZA BANNER THAT READS: 'OUT PENA! NO TO GASOLINE PRICE HIKES!' PROTESTERS IN ZOCALO PROTESTERS MARCHING AND SINGING NATIONAL ANTHEM MORE OF PROTESTERS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING AND PLAYING DRUMS PROTESTERS STANDING IN FRONT OF NATIONAL PALACE HOLDING BANNER THAT READS: 'NO TO GASOLINE PRICE HIKES! STOP THE HIGH COST OF LIVING!'
- Embargoed: 23rd January 2017 02:32
- Keywords: gasoline prices Pena Nieto protests
- Location: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- City: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Budget/Taxation/Revenue,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015Y7XTTV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Mexicans angry over a spike in gasoline prices took to the streets of Mexico City on Saturday (January 7) after days of protests spurred looting in hundreds of stores, resulting in over a thousand arrests in Latin America's second-largest economy.
Mexico's government hiked gasoline costs by 14 to 20 percent earlier this month, fueling outrage among Mexicans already facing rising inflation and adding to a long list of headaches besetting President Enrique Pena Nieto.
"No to the gasoline price hike, Pena out," protesters yelled as they marched from Mexico City's center to the Presidential residence.
The hike is part of a gradual, year-long price liberalization the Pena Nieto administration has promised to implement this year. But the government's many efforts to justify the hike have fallen on deaf ears.
"I think we have reached a point where the people have to do something for the people," said protester Jorge Alcantara. "We have seen that we don't have authorities who will protect us, that there is no legislation that protects us. To the contrary, they protect the businessman, they protect the politician, they protect the rich. The people are progressively worse."
While there were no reports of violence in Mexico City on Saturday, the backlash has been far from peaceful.
"We are annoyed at the ineptitude of our president. I think that, among the last things that has impacted all of us is this rise in gasoline prices. But we don't realize that it's not just the impact of this rise in gasoline, but everything that will come as a consequence of this," said protester Esther Rivera.
Mexican authorities on Friday reported over 1,500 arrests since the protests began when price hikes kicked in on January 1. Mexican retail association ANTAD said on Friday that 423 stores were sacked, nearly half in the central state of Mexico, near the capital.
Local media reported marches on Saturday in the Mexican states of Sonora, Chiapas, Guerrero, Jalisco, Tabasco and Puebla as well. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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