Public Transport Cost Causes Riots in Chile

Chile's capital, Santiago, relies heavily on public transportation. Subways and buses are the primary means of getting around, and there are well-developed networks for the public to use.

But the issue is this: the average Chilean earns about $450 a month. Every month, the average Chilean has to spend $75—a sixth of the average income—on transportation. As of last week, the cost of tickets increased by 4%, meaning that Chileans have to spend even more money on getting to their workplaces. Their wages, however, have not increased.

"We pay the cops' salaries and subway fare, and here they are against us."
"Save on your ticket" (by jumping the turnstile)
"The people united will never be divided."

But transportation costs aren't the only problem. Chile has many other problems: the police forces have embezzled and stolen $46 million USD; Chilean healthcare is ranked poorly compared to other industrialized nations; the political elite make 30 times more than the average citizen; and Chile has a privatized water system that regularly leaves millions without water.

The 4% increase in transportation costs was the tipping point. Students and workers have taken control of subway stations and have broken turnstiles to avoid the unnecessary price hike. Chileans, old and young alike, have taken to protesting in the streets.

Armored assault vehicles, some with mounted machine guns,
transport Chilean soldiers equipped with rifles.

As a response, Chilean President Sebastián Piñera has declared a state of emergency. This action has a history—it is the first time that the country has been in such a state since Pinochet's brutal regime that saw 3,000 killed and tens of thousands imprisoned and tortured. And, like Pinochet, Piñera is allowing the police to militarize and to use live ammunition on protesting crowds.

Police response has been devastating. Almost 200 people have been taken into custody. Armed with riot gear and using tear gas, live ammunition, shotguns, and rifles, the police have stormed onto the streets with shock-and-awe tactics. At least eleven people have been killed by police, and dozens are missing.

But Chileans haven't given in. Protests continue, and a general strike is planned for today. The slogan of the movement: "Evade and Struggle!"

Chilean protesters have fought back hard. Police outposts have been vandalized and some have even been overrun by citizens. The Enel building had its emergency staircase set afire, supposedly by a stray tear gas canister.



https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/sep/15/chile-santiago-water-supply-drought-climate-change-privatisation-neoliberalism-human-right
https://en.mercopress.com/2019/10/19/santiago-on-fire-and-with-no-transport-and-pinera-in-a-family-party-at-a-pizza-parlor
https://www.businessinsider.com/chile-protests-subway-fare-hikes-president-fire-military-emergency-2019-10