Decades of Socioeconomic Inequality in Chile Come to a Head

Over the past three weeks, Chile has erupted in massive, violent protests, shocking the international community. Across the country, millions of people are taking to the streets in protest- and what sparked the marches was a 4 percent transit fare. What was originally a peaceful protest soon turned violent as the government sent over ten thousand armed forces against protesters, declaring the country “at war”. And what sparked these events? A 4 percent increase in transit fares.

But the fare increase was merely the straw that broke the camel’s back. These protests were fostered by decades of socioeconomic inequality. It goes way back- starting even before Pinochet’s military coup in 1973, and only exacerbated over the years. For the people, this protest is long due: despite Chile’s reputation as one of the most economically successful South American countries, the majority of its citizens don’t have access to well-funded and maintained public services, such as healthcare or education. 

The demonstrations in Chile are merely a symptom of an overarching problem throughout the country. These protesters are not just disgruntled by a rise in transit fares. They are making a stand against decades of injustice and economic disparity.

Sources: 

- https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/03/world/americas/chile-protests.html

- https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/11/01/chiles-streets-are-fire-with-protests-how-did-percent-fare-hike-set-off-such-rage/