OAN: Chile´S Embattled Pinera Promises Cabinet Shake-Up To Quell Mass Protests.
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Saturday added a major cabinet reshuffle to a growing list of reforms he has promised to tame inequality and quell mass protests that have rocked the South American nation.
His announcement follows a peaceful rally late Friday that saw 1 million Chileans flood the streets to call for reforms to the country´s social and economic model.
Chile, the world´s top copper producer, has traditionally been one of the region´s most prosperous and stable free-market economies, but entrenched inequality and spiraling costs of living have sparked calls for change.
“I have put all my ministers on notice in order to restructure my cabinet to confront these new demands,” Pinera told reporters Saturday at mid-day from the La Moneda presidential palace.
Pinera did not announce the specifics of the reshuffle, nor did he say when he would announce them.
A document obtained by Reuters, however, suggested Pinera was considering replacing the heads of at least nine ministries, including the ministries of interior, defense, economy, transportation and environment.
Protests in Chile began over a hike in subway fares more than a week ago but boiled into riots that have killed at least 17 people, resulted in more than 7,000 arrests and caused more than $1.4 billion of losses to Chilean businesses.
I just got back from Chile.
marxist doing regime change.
welcome to Venezuela.
this isn’t about the metro.
this isn’t about climate change.
this isn’t about corruption.
this is a coup by the progressives/socialists/communists.
the president, Pinera is making a lot of unforced errors.
he has come late to the underlying problem and while correct in calling it a “war” he did not identify the enemy in clear words.
he has offered compromises and showed weakness which means they will not stop until he is gone. not unlike what the communists/socialist did in Bolivia.
Of all those protesting for change, I wonder how many of them know exactly what they want changed or how it would be done?
Same goes for all the other protestors around the world, what do they want done, how would they do it, and what results would be (realistically) expected from it?
If you want to see what a million people look like go look at these pics. It is a sea of people in the city and down every street with barely room to move. Not like when the American press says there was a million people at a Biden rally.
At least President Pinera has good bread lines…
When Pinochet got rid of the Communist thug Allende, the Leftist Media began its war to discredit and vilify Pinochet…this continues even today after decades. Pinochet was a modern day George Washington who saved Chile and later resigned his position of power to allow elections…something a Socialist would never do. His reformation to the economy with the help of Milton Friedman led to years of economic freedom and wealth…but the Left never goes away because its source is genetic and results in a blindness to reality , lack of empathy and a nihilistic base that results in being unable to build civilization…only death and destruction is their footprint…You must act quickly and with force to stop this zombie like part of the population…this holds for America too..
The “poor” protesters are well funded and provided with
rapid transportation to places where they want to
start trouble. Communists? Soros? Someone is putting
up a lot of dinero.
Chile: world’s largest copper producer. Hmmm.
@Me again – Outstanding comment, very accurate summarization.
Pinera ran into a trap. He is Center Right milquetoast, like the RINOs here. The Left will not stop until they have destroyed Chile’s economy and social structure — and have Pinera’s head on a platter.
Ecuadorian Pres. Moreno, came from the Nuevo Bolivariano Left, so he knew the playbook and what the end game was. He has a much better chance of guiding his country through this coordinated assault.
All of Latin America rides on a knife’s edge. They are all an election or massive protest away from being the next socialist utopia — as are we.
My daughter lives/works in Chile as a computer programmer for an American multi-national. She has educated me about this situation. Apparently, both the politicians and the government workers make obscene amounts of money and only work about 3-4 months of the year. The current minimum wage works out to be about $ 300/USD per month. There is tremendous disparity between the rich and the poor.
A minimum wage is not meant to be a living wage.
In 24 of the 29 years since Pinochet (certainly no angel) voluntarily and peacefully gave up power, Chile has been run by Leftists. That explains the disparity between government and private sector incomes.
Chile has the lowest measure of income inequality in Latin America.
The Peronistas likely won the presidency in Argentina (47.9% with 80% of the vote counted. Argentina doesn’t require election by absolute majority).
With presidential elections in Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay, it is no coincidence that Socialismo XXI organized these uprisings.
There is never a shortage of good reasons to complain in Latin America. Violent protest, however, is the domain of the Left. What they cannot win at the ballot box or steal in the count, they will take in the streets. That is, we were told by Obama, what Democracy looks like.
to blame this on poverty is a lie. while many struggle it isn’t those (the working poor) who began these protests.
they are organised by unions and students. and joined by “I want free stuff crowd”.