Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
Video Credit: CEN/@Kathydussa
This is the moment demonstrators loot a Coca Cola distribution centre in the Chilean capital during protests that have already claimed the lives of 13 people.
Protests started in the central Chilean capital Santiago on October 18th after increased public transport fares were announced, affecting almost 3 million commuters.
According to local media, the increase would have seen fares rise from 800 to 830 CLP (0.85 to 0.88 GBP). However, the government eventually backed down and ditched the planned hike.
But now locals are protesting against rising and widespread wealth disparity in the South American country which ranks worst in OECD nations in terms of economic inequality.
Video Credit: CEN/@Hernan_DuarteG
Reports said that multiple business offices were set ablaze while protesters have also looted numerous supermarkets and shops.
The video footage shows a crowd of residents looting a Coca Cola distribution centre.
According to reports, the violent protests have already claimed the lives of 13 people while over 2,100 protesters have been detained.
Local media said that 62 people have been injured in the disturbances, although that number is expected to increase as reports continue to surface.
According to the Chilean newspaper ‘El Mercurio’, a state of emergency has been declared in five Chilean regions of Chile, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, Coquimbo, Valparaiso, O’Higgins and Biobio.
The communes Puente Alto, San Bernardo, Rancagua, Antofagasta and La Sirena are also reportedly in a state of emergency.
Local media said that many Chilean cities are slowly returning to normality as minimal services have been reinstated on some metro lines however protests have continued into the week.
These are the first protest to require military intervention within Chile since the reinstatement of democracy in 1990 after the country was run by Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet from 1973 to 1990.
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