At least 19 detainees, five policemen injured in another day of social protests in Chile

At least 19 people were arrested and five Carabineros agents were injured in the disturbances that arose during the day on Friday as part of the social mobilizations that take place every Friday and which have shaken the Andean country for months.

The protests again focused on the Plaza Baquedano in Santiago de Chile and forced the diversion of traffic from the center of the capital and the closure of some metro stations, such as Baquedano and Universidad Católica, according to the Chilean newspaper The third.

In addition, a person was allegedly run over by a police vehicle during the Carabineros proceedings to disperse the demonstrators.

Following the incidents, the Chief General of the Carabineros Metropolitan Region, Marcelo Araya, declared that “what we see on Fridays in Plaza Italia are not demonstrations, it is vandalism, it is crime”.

“Carabineros de Chile is not against demonstrations, but there must be order. One thing is the protests, often peaceful, and another is acts of vandalism which end up saturating not only public and private buildings, but also citizens who want to have a quiet life, “he said in statements. at The third.

In addition, he indicated that “Between January 2020 and February this year, across Chile, 13,618 violent events occurred, of which just over 9,000 were unrest and nearly 2,000 were direct attacks on the police, usually with cocktails. Molotov. “

October 18, 2019 marked the start of the biggest social mobilizations in Chile’s recent history. They started as a mobilization against the rise in the price of public transport, but led to broader complaints against social inequalities and in favor of a new Constitution, which will take shape after the election of a Constituent Assembly after the elections scheduled for next April. 11.

The role of security forces, in particular Carabineros, has been the subject of analysis and criticism this past year, especially for any excesses committed in their interventions. The National Institute of Human Rights (INDH) recorded more than 2,500 complaints and some 3,000 victims of abuse between October 2019 and March 2020.

One of the recent episodes that brought Carabineros to light was the death of a young juggler at the hands of a group of officers, who again provoked the debate on an urgent reform of the Chilean military police.

same President Sebastián Piñera referred to fact and mourned the death of the juggler, identified as Francisco Martínez. However supported the Carabineros. “I would like to express my support and support for the Chilean police, which is a fundamental institution and the first line of defense of public order,” he said.

The juggler’s death catalyzed a series of protests that turned violent and affected municipal buildings in the same commune of Panguipulli, where the event took place. Also recorded mobilizations in different regions of the country. The political world, for its part, especially the opposition, has turned to demand that the government put the greatest urgency to the project which is in Congress and proposes an in-depth reform of the carabineers.

With information from EuropaPress

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