Chilean president tries to stay in power by having cabinet resign

Edited by Ed Newman
2019-10-27 13:05:44

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Santiago de Chile, October 27 (RHC)-- After more than one million people marched in Santiago de Chile to demand his resignation, President Sebastian Piñera on Saturday requested the resignation of all his ministers and announced that curfews would be lifted on Sunday.

"I have put all my ministers on notice in order to restructure my cabinet to confront these new demands and take care of the new times," Piñera said from the La Moneda palace.  Regarding the main demand of the Chilean population, however, Piñeda was absolutely silent, refusing to acknowledge demands that he step down.

After weeks of maintaining an information blockade, used to criminalize social protest, local mainstream media was forced to recognize that the October 25th march was largest rally of the Chilean peoople since the end of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship nearly 30 years ago.

Surprisingly, in what could be understood as a symbolic distancing from the Piñera administration, famous politicians from the most conservative elites had a similar reaction.

“One million people demonstrated peacefully.  I don't know if they are from the left or the right; however, they clearly reject this government and the leadership we represent.  The message is clear," the Republican Action leader Jose Antonio Kast admitted.

Nevertheless, changes in Piñera's cabinet did not satisfy the Chileans who are already announcing new protests, for human rights violations and brutal police actions experienced since October 18th make his statements "empty."

Chile's Interior Minister on Saturday acknowledged that 20 people have died.  In addition, according to the National Institute of Human Rights (NHRI) data, 3,162 people have been arrested, 343 of whom are minors.  
 



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