Two weeks ago, we arrived in Santiago, Chile anxious to explore the city.

However, we were surprised to find a city scarred by political unrest, demonstrations, and uneasily waiting until April when a national vote on whether to change the constitution will be held.

The October Uprising

Although Chile is called the political and economic leader of Latin America, economic inequality has reached an all-time high. The current unrest is caused by protests last October.  Over a million Chileans demonstrated against the high cost of living and low wages. They see the elite class as out-of-touch with the everyday life of common citizens.

The protests began when high school students began to jump subway turnstiles after the government raised fares. When the government used deadly force to respond to the fare jumpers, others joined in to support them and to protest against the inequality between the rich and the poor and middle class.

On October 18, the situation escalated as a group of people began vandalizing the city’s infrastructure; seizing, vandalizing, and burning down many metro stations and disabling them with extensive infrastructure damage, and for a time causing the network to shut down. There were 64 stations damaged and 17 were burned down.

On the same day, President Piñera announced a state of emergency and called on the Army to enforce order. The next day he declared a curfew on Santiago.

On Friday, October 25th, an estimated 1.2 million people marched in protest, more than 5% of the country’s population. This was the largest demonstration since the country returned to democracy following the Pinochet dictatorship of the 70s and 80s.

There were 27 people killed in the protests, thousands injured, and an unspecified number arrested. A boulder near the central city was updated daily with the count of people who had lost an eye from rubber bullets used by the military (357 ojos).

The demonstrations continue today

Anti-government and anti-police graffiti still cover the streets in the Lastarria neighborhood where we are staying. This neighborhood was ground-zero of the protests and small demonstrations still occur on weekends. We are constantly reminded of what the people are fighting for.  There is graffiti everywhere, on every building, landmark, and surface.

We have talked to many people who support the demonstrators and are suffering due to the high cost of living and economic inequality. One of our Uber drivers told us that the protests have scared off tourists and harmed a beautiful city.

Many department store plate glass windows are still boarded up with plywood or steel doors and gates due to damage during the protests.  Some businesses only have a small door allowing people to enter and exit or to see what’s inside. International supermarkets were damaged and some businesses have permanently closed.  Other businesses are closed waiting it out until the elections.

Last weekend as our Uber drove us back to our apartment, he had to avoid burning tires in the street.  He stopped to see if a car driven by three young women needed help because they drove over a huge chunk of concrete thrown into the street to stop traffic.

The government has stopped the public changing of the guard ceremony at the government palace until the situation improves. Some universities are locked down and gated with heavy security. The historic castle at Cerro Santa Lucia is closed to visitors.

On some busy streets, entrepreneurial citizens direct traffic because the damaged traffic lights still don’t work. Some metro stops are still closed due to damage caused by a few violent protesters.

Evidence of the protests is visible everywhere and many protesters call for President Piñera’s resignation. In response to the protests, Piñera agreed to hold a national vote in April on whether to write a new constitution. Until then, some protests continue.

The anti-government feelings are very strong, in part, because Chile threw out its brutal dictator, General Pinochet, only 30 years ago.  Memories of the repression are still present. Some of the authoritarian-era elites, including cabinet ministers and party officials retain high- level posts in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Pinochet himself remained head of the Chilean military until 1998 and a designated senator until 2002. The Pinochet administration killed, tortured and jailed approximately 40,000 citizens.

Every day as we walk around the city, we feel the anger and frustration of the residents in the graffiti.

To be fair, there are fewer signs of the protests in areas of the city further from the historic center. In one affluent area, there is a beautiful park, a modern mall with expensive international brands, and fancy restaurants. In these parts of the city, Santiago feels very peaceful, modern and international.  Most days, our neighborhood feels peaceful because the students are on summer break.  We see them drinking beer at outdoor cafes, selling photos of the protests and taking it easy in the shady parks.

One of the joys of slow travel is our ability to visit a country for a few months and learn about important issues like this one from the locals. Most people we have talked to support the protests. We hope the current peace continues and that Chileans can live free of inequality with access to health care, education, and a decent living wage.

We plan to stay in Chile for a few more weeks.  Next, we will visit nearby coastal towns of Valparaiso and Viña del Mar for some beach time.