Thousands took to the streets in Santiago and throughout Chile on Thursday night to protest Sebastian Pinera’s conservative government policies, especially a planned pension reform being debated in Chile’s Congress.
The protest had ‘We’re getting tired’ as a motto, with police in riot gear intervening using water cannons and tear gas on the demonstrators.
The planned reform, which would overhaul the retirement system inherited from Augusto Pinochet, the dictator who ruled until 1990, came under fire in part due to the low pensions which, in most cases, would be below Chile’s minimum wage of about $400 (€ 360).
Pinera is expected to give a speech on Saturday, just over a year after taking over from socialist President Michelle Bachelet.
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