Piñera apologized, but the unions encouraged the protests and the general strike

"The strike goes away! We say it loud and clear: enough hikes and abuse!"said in a message on Twitter the Central Unitary Workers (CUT), Chile's most powerful trade union.

About 20 worker and student organizations called for a strike and repudiated Piñera's decision to put the country in a state of emergency and to enforce the curfew, and to resort to to the army to control the demonstrations, fires and looting recorded in Santiago and in others. cities, which left at least 15 dead, including a Peruvian and an Ecuadorian, during the worst wave of violence in Chile for three decades.

"We demand that the government restore democratic institutions, which means in the first place the withdrawal of the state of emergency and the return of the military to their barracks", said a statement from the movements, released Tuesday.

Port operators will paralyze coastal cities and powerful copper miners' unions – of which Chile is the world's largest producer – have analyzed their accession.

The unions are in agreement with the social unrest in Chile, one of the most unequal countries in the world, which was caused by the rise – and then suspended – of 3.75% of the ticket price. Metro in Santiago, but have resulted in a greater movement that puts on the table other social demands, including the very low pensions of the private system, legacy of the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990).

A study published Wednesday by the company Ipsos indicates that 67% of respondents "have tired of their living conditions in the economic, health and pensions," which they perceive as "unfair and unfair".

Worn by a popular scandal that seems far from soothing, Piñera asked for "forgiveness" Tuesday night and acknowledged his "lack of vision" to anticipate the epidemic, changing tone two days after declaring that the country was "at war".

The president also announced a package of measures, including improving the pensions of the poorest, suspending the increase of 9.2% of the electricity bill, the supplement to the minimum wage, setting up an insurance for the purchase of medicines and taxation. higher taxes to higher-income sectors.

He also proposed to reduce the diet of parliamentarians and the high salaries of the public administration, as well as the decrease in the number of members of Congress and the limitation of re-elections.

However, trade unionists demand the establishment of a social program developed alongside grassroots organizations.

"The important thing is that there is a radical change in our political institutions, it is in crisis.We will see today the response of civil society whether or not it is satisfied with it. President's announcementsaid Camila Vallejo, a former student leader and member of the Communist Party.

The crisis complicates the normal development of the activities of Santiago's 7.5 million inhabitants, where public transport is gradually being restored.

The lines multiplied in front of the metro stations, which allowed the partial creation of three lines Wednesday, supported by about 5,000 buses and taxis. Meanwhile, trade and banks operate intermittently, while classes will remain suspended in seven of the capital's 52 districts.

"It's very difficult for me to leave the center in the afternoon, it's very difficult and the worst part is that I do not think it will happen so soon." I do not think the words of Piñera are very useful, because today more people will mobilize and will follow "riots"Karla Araneda, 38, an employee of a store located a short walk from the government house, told AFP.

During the morning, Santiago and a dozen cities experienced the fourth curfew since the beginning of the conflict. Some 20,000 military and police officers carried out checks on vehicles and people, while riots and isolated incidents were recorded.

As, Pope Francis expressed his concern about the crisis and called for "finding solutions" through dialogue.

According to the government and the prosecutor's office, the epidemic of social violence has left 15 dead and four dead, including four shot by security forces.

Some 269 people were injured – 137 by firearms – and about 1,900 were arrested, according to a latest report from the National Institute of Human Rights.