A new student protest led this Tuesday to riots and street blockades in Santiago just 18 days after the inauguration of leftist President Gabriel Boric.
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Groups of schoolchildren and hooded people staged disturbances in the vicinity of the presidential palace of La Monedaafter a call to commemorate the “Day of the Young Combatant”, in memory of two brothers assassinated in 1985 by agents of the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990).
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Every year on this date night incidents are generated in neighborhoods on the outskirts of Santiago, with barricades and clashes with the police.
Starting Tuesday morning, Alameda Avenue, the main artery of the center of Santiago, remained cut after sporadic clashes of students and hooded with agents of the special forces
The demonstration paralyzed part of the Chilean capital again, four days after another march of students who protested to demand an increase in the amount allocated to them by the State for their foodand that resulted in a young man shot by a police officer, who used his weapon after being attacked by protesters.
A car with officials from the Chilean Air Force was also attacked with stones and sticks. The riots, with expressions of violence and destruction in public spaces, have overshadowed the first weeks of Boric’s government, who a decade ago led student protests demanding public, free and quality education.
From that position, the Boric government faces the difficult equation of maintaining the right to protest with the protection of public order.
“We will continue working so that citizens can develop their lives with peace of mind; we will do it by talking (…) but also seeking to modernize our police and make their work more efficient,” Interior and Security Minister Izkia Siches said on Tuesday.
The Chilean Police face several complaints for human rights violations committed during the massive protests that followed the social outbreak of October 18, 2019.
However, statements by the main spokespersons of the new government after facing the first protests, raised criticism from various sectors considering them not very cautious towards the security forces, at a time when citizens were fed up with the frequent riots on Fridays, with the destruction of bus stops, street blockades and subway stations, and damage to businesses.
“We are not going to tolerate violent attacks, whether it is the attempt to burn down a business premises, or more serious, the beating of our Carabineros officials,” Siches added.
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
*With information from AFP
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