Following days of unrest, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has promised to address economic woes by implementing a series of reforms. The president acknowledged that the government has failed to address the people’s anger over the economic inequality that has motivated the massive demonstrations. Protesters initially took to the streets in response to an increase in subway fares, but the true motivating factors are more deeply rooted in dissatisfaction with low wages, increasing prices, poor pensions, limited healthcare services, and overall economic inequality. Many demonstrators have been peaceful, but others have been more violent, causing the government to declare a state of emergency in Santiago and at least 15 other cities.
President Pinera has promised the people various reforms, namely: increasing government subsidized pensions by 20%, establishing new insurance programs, guaranteeing a minimum monthly income of $483, and cutting wages for the highest paid public servants. While the proposed measures indicate long-awaited responsiveness form the government, they are unlikely to satisfy protestors. The Chilean people are more concerned about the problem of general legitimacy in the country’s institutions, including corruption in business and politics.
