A-Infos (en) ait russia: Chilean protesters reject concessions from authorities [machine translation]

Despite the fact that the President of Chile Pignera apologized to the people for ignoring 
social needs and promised a number of concessions, the protests of the Chileans do not 
subside. People are outraged by the hypocrisy of the authorities, the ongoing repression 
and the actual establishment of a military dictatorship. ---- On Monday, October 21, 
violent protests erupted again in Santiago and other cities, prompting the government to 
extend curfews for the third day in a row. Protesters against economic inequality, high 
cost and rising debts held demonstrations and "pan marches", fought with the police, 
burned and smashed shops and administrative buildings. Many thousands gathered again in 
the central metropolitan area of Italy, rattling into drums and pans and demanding the 
departure of President Pinhera. Clashes between protesters and the police have already 
killed at least 15 people, of which 8 died on Sunday. Among them are 2 Colombians and 1 
Ecuadorian.

Pinhera said at a press conference on October 21 that he had heard the demands of the 
people for a better life and invited the opposition to negotiate 
(https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/22/americas/chile-protests-inequality-curfew-intl-hnk/index.html

On October 22, by noon, protesters gathered again in the central squares of Santiago and 
other cities in the country. The police again began to disperse them using tear gas and 
water cannons. Martial law was operating in 10 cities, and curfew in the evening and at 
night; troops patrolled the streets. The technology developed reminded Chileans of the 
gloomy times of the Pinochet dictatorship. More and more loudly heard demands for the 
implementation of reforms in the tax system, medical care, labor and pension legislation. 
Pinhera invited opposition parties to negotiate a "new social contract," but part of the 
opposition rejected the call, accusing the authorities of a massive violation of human 
rights and refusing to give clear explanations in connection with those who died during 
the unrest. Concern over the repression and actions of the military expressed and "

The military command promised to investigate cases of violence by the military and the 
police. It stated that of the 15 dead since Friday, 11 lost their lives during arson, 
routs and riots in Santiago, 2 from gunshot wounds and 2 during an accident. At the same 
time, the Chilean Institute for Human Rights reported that by the evening of October 20, 
there were 84 victims of gunshot wounds (first of all, as a result of the fact that 
repressive bodies opened fire to kill). The prosecutor's office reported 5400 arrests.

Throughout Santiago and in several other cities, traces of destruction and street battles 
were visible on the streets. The janitors and volunteers on October 22 tried to put in 
order the central square of Italy, the epicenter of the unrest of previous days. It was 
all strewn with glass, stones and bonfires; graffiti painted on the walls. But by the 
middle of the day on October 22, protests resumed there.

Many of the streets in the city center smelled of tear gas; most schools remained closed 
on October 22. The traffic in the morning somewhat revived. On Tuesday morning, workers at 
the Escondida largest copper mine began a 10-hour strike. Over the past days, hundreds of 
flights had to be canceled at Santiago Airport 
(https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-president-pinera-to-meet-with-opposition-leaders-as-protests-snarl/). 
Prior to this, on Sunday, dock workers interrupted work at 20 ports so that workers could 
take part in peaceful protest demonstrations. Among them were Iquique, Tocopiglia, 
Antofagasta, Ventanas and San Antonio, through which copper is exported. The CTMIN miners 
trade union center called for a general strike in the industry on October 23 
(https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-21/copper-king-chile-faces-mine-stoppages-as-workers-join-protests)

More than 100 social organizations and trade unions united in Social Unity have appointed 
a general strike on October 23 and 24 under the motto "Chile has awakened, Chile is 
mobilizing." A central demonstration of the strike was scheduled to march from Italy 
Square on October 23 at 10.30; similar mass demonstrations were scheduled in all regions, 
and territorial demonstrations and "pan marches" and local assemblies across the country 
were scheduled for October 24.

The organizers of the strike called the following requirements and tasks:

1. The abolition of the state of emergency and the return of the military to the barracks.

2. Demand parliamentarians to start a strike and not to pass any laws or treaties until 
the state of emergency has been lifted.

3. Taking back draft laws that infringe on the social, economic and cultural rights of the 
people, including laws on pensions and taxes.

4. Development and application of a package of urgent economic measures in favor of the 
working people of Chile.

5. Convening a Constituent Assembly, which will have to develop a new constitution. It 
will open the way to a new development model that will end the current unjust neoliberal 
model.

6. To reject Pinier's harsh statements that "there is a war" against the people of Chile. 
The president, as guilty of confrontation, must resign 
(http://www.colegiodeprofesores.cl/2019/10/22/se-convoca-a-huelga-general-en-todo-chile-el-23-y-24-de-octubre/)

ASSIGNMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT

Under pressure from protests, President Pinhera announced a series of social reforms. In 
an address to the nation, he said that the Chilean government will send a number of bills 
to the Congress that provide for measures to provide social support to the population. "We 
will submit to the Congress for consideration the social agenda in accordance with the law 
and begin implementation when the government gets this opportunity," he said. The measures 
include raising pensions, lowering the cost of electricity, partially covering medical 
expenses, lowering medication prices and setting a minimum income for working people in 
the country. In addition, the Chilean government intends to send a bill to increase taxes 
for high-income citizens. It is due to this that it is planned to implement a social 
program 
(https://korrespondent.net/world/4152313-pobeda-protestov-prezydent-chyly-obiavyl-o-sotsyalnykh-reformakh).

Pinhera asked the Chileans to "apologize" for not understanding the severity of social 
problems. Within the framework of the proposed measures: 20% increase in the "basic joint 
pension" for 590 thousand pensioners; 20% increase in special pension supplements for 945 
thousand low-income pensioners; a gradual increase in pension payments and supplements for 
pensioners over 75 years of age in 2021-2022; improving pension opportunities for the 
middle class, working women and disabled people; the introduction of catastrophic disease 
insurance; the creation of an insurance system for the purchase of medicines by families 
(partial payment); lower drug prices; minimum guaranteed income for 12 million Chileans 
aged 15-65 years in the amount of 350 thousand pesos for all employees; cancellation of 
increase in electricity charges in the amount of 9.2%; introduction of an additional tax 
of 40% on incomes exceeding 8 million pesos per month; greater equality of opportunity 
between municipalities; reduction of salaries to parliamentarians, etc. 
(https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/nacional/chile/2019/10/22/pinera-pide-perdon-y-anuncia-agenda-social-alza-de-pensiones-seguros-de-salud-e-impuesto-a-ricos.shtml)

REPRESSIONS

Chilean military and police repression figures vary. The Inter-American Commission on 
Human Rights said on October 22 that, in reality, 42 people had already died in the 
country, 12 women had been raped, 121 people had gone completely naked and thousands of 
detainees were tortured. Against this background, the president publicly thanked the armed 
forces for participating in the suppression of protests 
(https://www.lavozdemisiones.com/2019/10/23/chile-42-muertos-12-mujeres-violadas-y-121-desaparecidos-tras-la-represion-de-pinera/)

Authorities recognize the deaths of 17 people. A car rammed a convoy of demonstrators in 
the city of San Pedro de la Paz in southern Chile, 2 people were killed and at least eight 
were injured. This was stated by the representative of the authorities of the Bio-bio 
region. According to a representative of local authorities, law enforcement officers 
detained the driver of the car. In total, the number of people killed during the protests 
in Chile reached 17 people, including five who died from the actions of the armed forces 
(https://www.mk.ru/incident/2019/10/23/chelovek-pogib-pri-naezde-avtomobilya-na-tolpu-protestuyushhikh-v-chili.html; 
https://news.ru/world/dva-cheloveka-pogibli-vo-vremya-naezda-mashiny-na-demonstrantov-v-chili/)

https://aitrus.info/node/5344
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