THOUSANDS of Chileans took to the streets of Santiago Thursday (11/4), pushing Congress to approve long-awaited social reforms in a country beset by deep-seated inequality.
The mass demonstrations were the first faced by leftist President Gabriel Boric since coming to power in 2022 with an ambitious program to reform the pension system, health care, education and labor laws to address these disparities.
However, the reform package stalled in Congress, with the government unable to reach an agreement with the rightist opposition.
“There is a right that defends the entire business world… and having a majority in parliament does not allow reforms to move forward,” said Silvia Silva, a 43-year-old kindergarten teacher who took part in the march.
In 2019, growing dissatisfaction over inequality exploded into protests that started after a metro fare increase.
Protesters are demanding changes to an economic model in which health care, education and pensions are run privately and there is a huge gap between rich and poor.
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Unprecedented protests prompted congress to agree to hold a referendum on changing Chile’s dictatorship-era constitution.
Despite overwhelming support for a new charter, voters twice rejected proposed plans and Boric said he was done trying to reform it.
Boric, 38, also experienced a difficult legislative setback in March last year, when lawmakers rejected a tax bill aimed at financing an expansion of the social security system.
“We want to make a call to the government to really listen to… social movements,” said David Acuna, president of the Chilean Workers’ United Center, the union that organized the protest. (AFP/Z-3)
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