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| After Fare Hike Stirs Violent Unrest in Chile, President Suspends It | After Fare Hike Stirs Violent Unrest in Chile, President Suspends It |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| SANTIAGO, Chile — After a chaotic two days of violent protests and looting in Chile’s capital, the president suspended a subway fare hike that had set off an intense wave of unrest. Shortly afterward, a curfew was announced from 10 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday in Santiago, the capital. | SANTIAGO, Chile — After a chaotic two days of violent protests and looting in Chile’s capital, the president suspended a subway fare hike that had set off an intense wave of unrest. Shortly afterward, a curfew was announced from 10 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday in Santiago, the capital. |
| What had begun as a protest by high school students quickly devolved on Friday into looting and arson in Santiago, prompting the president to declare a state of emergency in the city. Three people were killed in a supermarket fire in Santiago, officials said on Sunday. | |
| On Saturday, as tanks watched over its landmark Plaza Baquedano, protests spread to a dozen other cities. In the capital, at least five subway stations and buses were set ablaze, while violent demonstrators looted supermarkets and pharmacies. | |
| With several groups calling for a national strike on Monday, people feared much worse to come. | |
| “The government hasn’t understood anything,” said Gabriela Muñoz, 40, a secretary. “You just need to scratch the surface to discover that people are fed up with so much abuse. This is happening because the government won’t listen.” | “The government hasn’t understood anything,” said Gabriela Muñoz, 40, a secretary. “You just need to scratch the surface to discover that people are fed up with so much abuse. This is happening because the government won’t listen.” |
| The sight of military tanks and troops roaming the streets was jarring for many Chileans, given the country’s former 17-year military dictatorship, during which the armed forces committed rampant abuses. This is the first time since Chile’s return to democracy in 1990 that the government has declared a state of emergency for public disorders in the capital. | The sight of military tanks and troops roaming the streets was jarring for many Chileans, given the country’s former 17-year military dictatorship, during which the armed forces committed rampant abuses. This is the first time since Chile’s return to democracy in 1990 that the government has declared a state of emergency for public disorders in the capital. |
| The mayhem in Chile is the latest spasm of unrest in a region that has been awash in political crises this year. | The mayhem in Chile is the latest spasm of unrest in a region that has been awash in political crises this year. |
| President Sebastián Piñera issued the fare-hike suspension late Saturday, and indicated that the army general in charge of security in Santiago might soon issue a curfew. | President Sebastián Piñera issued the fare-hike suspension late Saturday, and indicated that the army general in charge of security in Santiago might soon issue a curfew. |
| Many were stunned by what the regional governor called “a level of destruction never seen before.” | Many were stunned by what the regional governor called “a level of destruction never seen before.” |
| Far from heeding Mr. Piñera’s restrictions, by midday people in the capital were banging pots and pans in the streets in an outcry against the rising cost of living, miserable pensions, relatively low wages, deficient health and education systems and costly and inefficient public utilities. | Far from heeding Mr. Piñera’s restrictions, by midday people in the capital were banging pots and pans in the streets in an outcry against the rising cost of living, miserable pensions, relatively low wages, deficient health and education systems and costly and inefficient public utilities. |
| “The people who govern the country seem to be living in a different world from the rest of us,” said Enrique Araya, 49, a lawyer, as he banged pots on Friday evening with his family in front of a subway station. | “The people who govern the country seem to be living in a different world from the rest of us,” said Enrique Araya, 49, a lawyer, as he banged pots on Friday evening with his family in front of a subway station. |
| He added that a feeling of impotence was the true impetus for the protests. “The metro fare was just the detonator,” he said. | He added that a feeling of impotence was the true impetus for the protests. “The metro fare was just the detonator,” he said. |
| Troops took control of some areas of Santiago on Saturday where protests once again turned violent, as demonstrators erected barricades and attacked subway stations and buses. At least five buses were burned downtown by the early afternoon, and all bus services were temporarily suspended in the capital. | Troops took control of some areas of Santiago on Saturday where protests once again turned violent, as demonstrators erected barricades and attacked subway stations and buses. At least five buses were burned downtown by the early afternoon, and all bus services were temporarily suspended in the capital. |
| The government declared a state of emergency on Saturday night in the city of Concepción, about 310 miles south of the capital, because of looting and vandalism. Protests and arson attacks have also taken place in the port city of Valparaíso, where Congress is, and other cities around the country. | |
| The nearly 8,000 army troops deployed overnight in Santiago, Valparaíso and Concepción did not deter vandals and looters who ransacked and set fire to supermarkets, gas stations and car dealerships. | |
| On Friday students jumped subway turnstiles to protest the second fare increase this year. But that night, demonstrators set fire to dozens of subway stations, several banks, buses and the headquarters of Chile’s largest electricity provider, Enel. Looters stormed into pharmacies, supermarkets and other stores. | On Friday students jumped subway turnstiles to protest the second fare increase this year. But that night, demonstrators set fire to dozens of subway stations, several banks, buses and the headquarters of Chile’s largest electricity provider, Enel. Looters stormed into pharmacies, supermarkets and other stores. |
| Special police units barged into stations and deployed tear gas, beat up demonstrators and violently dragged people from subway cars to take them into custody. | Special police units barged into stations and deployed tear gas, beat up demonstrators and violently dragged people from subway cars to take them into custody. |
| Government officials confirmed that on Friday night more than 300 people were arrested and 156 police officers and 20 civilians were wounded. Seventy-eight subway stations, or about 60 percent of the subway network, have suffered some sort of damage; the subway is likely to be closed for much of the week. Calling the demonstrators “organized vandals” and “criminals,” officials announced that they would authorize higher penalties than usual for offenses. | Government officials confirmed that on Friday night more than 300 people were arrested and 156 police officers and 20 civilians were wounded. Seventy-eight subway stations, or about 60 percent of the subway network, have suffered some sort of damage; the subway is likely to be closed for much of the week. Calling the demonstrators “organized vandals” and “criminals,” officials announced that they would authorize higher penalties than usual for offenses. |
| The political scientist Guillermo Holzmann of the University of Valparaíso blamed “an accumulation of factors” for the strife: frustration over the economy, the rising price of water, electricity and transportation, plus more crime and corruption. | The political scientist Guillermo Holzmann of the University of Valparaíso blamed “an accumulation of factors” for the strife: frustration over the economy, the rising price of water, electricity and transportation, plus more crime and corruption. |
| “People feel the state is inefficient, it doesn’t protect them, and the market abuses them,” he said. “The metro fare was the last straw.” | “People feel the state is inefficient, it doesn’t protect them, and the market abuses them,” he said. “The metro fare was the last straw.” |
| The fare increase, which went into effect on Oct. 6, came at a time when the cost of living for poor and middle-class families has been rising while wages have remained stagnant. The average monthly salary is $807, about a fifth of which is spent on transportation. With the fare hike, a rush-hour subway ride would cost about $1.20. | The fare increase, which went into effect on Oct. 6, came at a time when the cost of living for poor and middle-class families has been rising while wages have remained stagnant. The average monthly salary is $807, about a fifth of which is spent on transportation. With the fare hike, a rush-hour subway ride would cost about $1.20. |
| “Everything that is going on is so unfair, because everything is going up: transportation fares, electricity, gas; and salaries are so low,” said Isabel Mora, 82, a retiree who receives a monthly pension of about $62. | “Everything that is going on is so unfair, because everything is going up: transportation fares, electricity, gas; and salaries are so low,” said Isabel Mora, 82, a retiree who receives a monthly pension of about $62. |
| Several economies in Latin America are either in recession or sputtering, which prompted the International Monetary Fund in July to cut its growth projection for the region from a meager 1.6 percent to a dismal .6 percent. | Several economies in Latin America are either in recession or sputtering, which prompted the International Monetary Fund in July to cut its growth projection for the region from a meager 1.6 percent to a dismal .6 percent. |
| The dire fiscal landscape has exacerbated political tensions across the region and fueled protest movements that have taken aim at austerity measures, harmful environmental policies and rising inequality, among other causes. | The dire fiscal landscape has exacerbated political tensions across the region and fueled protest movements that have taken aim at austerity measures, harmful environmental policies and rising inequality, among other causes. |
| The fierce public backlash is unfolding in countries that experienced an expansion of the middle class during the commodity boom of the 2000s, which expanded access to education and higher paying jobs across the region. With less cash on hand, leaders are struggling to meet their citizens’ expectations. | The fierce public backlash is unfolding in countries that experienced an expansion of the middle class during the commodity boom of the 2000s, which expanded access to education and higher paying jobs across the region. With less cash on hand, leaders are struggling to meet their citizens’ expectations. |
| Mr. Piñera’s decision to declare a state of emergency followed a wave of violent protests in Ecuador this month, which led its president, Lenin Moreno, to temporarily flee the capital. In neighboring Peru, President Martín Vizcarra dissolved Congress in late September in a dramatic escalation over a political fight set off by a corruption inquiry. | Mr. Piñera’s decision to declare a state of emergency followed a wave of violent protests in Ecuador this month, which led its president, Lenin Moreno, to temporarily flee the capital. In neighboring Peru, President Martín Vizcarra dissolved Congress in late September in a dramatic escalation over a political fight set off by a corruption inquiry. |
| The economic meltdown in Venezuela, meanwhile, continues to spur a migration wave testing the generosity and social safety net of neighboring countries. | The economic meltdown in Venezuela, meanwhile, continues to spur a migration wave testing the generosity and social safety net of neighboring countries. |
| Marta Lagos, director of the polling firm Latinobarometro, said the unrest of the past few days “has shown the real Chile: with many problems and people willing to protest.” | Marta Lagos, director of the polling firm Latinobarometro, said the unrest of the past few days “has shown the real Chile: with many problems and people willing to protest.” |
| Chile’s international image is an idealized fabrication of the international press, she said. | Chile’s international image is an idealized fabrication of the international press, she said. |
| In a recent interview with The Financial Times, Mr. Piñera boasted that in the context of Latin America, “Chile looks like an oasis because we have stable democracy, the economy is growing, we are creating jobs, we are improving salaries and we are keeping macroeconomic balance.” | In a recent interview with The Financial Times, Mr. Piñera boasted that in the context of Latin America, “Chile looks like an oasis because we have stable democracy, the economy is growing, we are creating jobs, we are improving salaries and we are keeping macroeconomic balance.” |
| The protests come as Chile prepares to host two major international conferences: an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit meeting next month and the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December. | The protests come as Chile prepares to host two major international conferences: an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit meeting next month and the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December. |
| “This was a social explosion waiting to happen, and high school students opened the floodgates,” Ms. Lagos said. | “This was a social explosion waiting to happen, and high school students opened the floodgates,” Ms. Lagos said. |
| “This is the beginning of something, not the end. People are realizing they have power over the government, and they can paralyze Santiago. This is the closest thing to a citizen revolution, but it has no leadership, no one to negotiate with.” | “This is the beginning of something, not the end. People are realizing they have power over the government, and they can paralyze Santiago. This is the closest thing to a citizen revolution, but it has no leadership, no one to negotiate with.” |
| Ernesto Londoño contributed reporting. | Ernesto Londoño contributed reporting. |