What are the roots of Chile’s economic inequality?

On Tuesday, November 5 at 19:30 GMT:
Chile’s protesters are keeping up their calls for political and economic overhaul in the country. More than one million Chileans have taken to the streets, fed up with economic inequality and the rising cost of living.

Chile’s leaderless popular movement started as a protest by middle school students against an increase to Santiago’s metro rail fare earlier this month. They have since evolved into the country’s biggest protests since the end of its military dictatorship in 1990.

Although Chile is one of Latin America’s most economically successful countries, it is also ranks as the most unequal among the world’s most developed nations. Critics blame a government that favours privatisation and neoliberal economic policies. In response to the demonstrators, Chile’s billionaire, centre-right president Sebastian Pinera has raised the minimum wage, increased taxes on the rich, and even replaced a third of his cabinet members. Despite these moves, calls for his resignation remain. Protesters are now demanding changes to the country’s constitution.

In this episode, we’ll learn more about the protests and ask how Chile should address its inequality problem.

 

On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:

 

Carola Fuentes Prieto, @carolafuentes
Filmmaker and journalist
laventanacine.com

 

Cecilia Ananías Soto, @AnaniasCeci
Journalist and protester
wordpress.com

 

Jaime Bellolio Avaria, @jbellolio
Member of Congress of the Independent Democratic Union Party
jaimebellolio.cl

 

Read more:

Chile unrest: Growing anger over social inequality – Al Jazeera
Chile police accused of brutality in protest crackdown – Al Jazeera

 

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