SANTIAGO — Hundreds of Chileans clashed with police in the capital during a protest against a security reform package proposed by President José Antonio Kast. Demonstrators chanted "Kast is just like Pinochet" as they confronted security forces.
The protests involved students, teachers and social activists. Demonstrations have also targeted Kast's education cuts and austerity measures in recent weeks.
The unrest echoes Chile's "Social Outburst" (Estallido Social), a period of massive demonstrations between October 2019 and March 2020.
That wave initially sparked from a rise in Santiago Metro's subway fare. A broader crisis of public confidence then fueled the unrest, stemming from corruption cases within the police and armed forces, alongside government scandals.
Those scandals included "Pacogate" within the police and "Milicogate" involving the armed forces, as well as corporate cases including Soquimich, Penta and Caval.
A 2019 Transparency International study found that 54 percent of adult Chileans believed corruption had increased in the preceding year.
Economic grievances also drove the 2019-2020 movement: high cost of living and persistent unemployment among university graduates fueled public anger.
During the Social Outburst, demonstrators erected barricades in Santiago and Antofagasta. Clashes between masked protesters and police occurred outside the University of La Frontera in Temuco.
In late November 2019, security forces suspended rubber pellets as a crowd control method in response to escalating protests.
The movement drew support from the Communist Party of Chile and the Broad Front. Activists including Gabriel Boric, Camila Vallejo and Giorgio Jackson were prominent in the effort.
The comparison of Kast to former dictator Augusto Pinochet reflects deep public concern about state power and Chile's history of authoritarian rule. The chant signals political sensitivity surrounding the proposed security reforms.
