Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Monday ended a state of emergency that lasted more than a week amid <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chile-anti-govt-protests-escalate-258114">mass protests</a>, but demonstrations continued nonetheless.

The decision to lift the decree at midnight, just two days after more than a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-million-chileans-march-in-santiago-city-grinds-to-halt-258235">million people took</a> to the country's streets demanding economic and political change, comes after the equally unpopular week-long nighttime curfews ended on Saturday.

Authorities imposed both the state of emergency and curfews last weekend after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-people-are-protesting-in-chile-257320">Chile&nbsp;was rocked</a> by its worst civil unrest in decades.

What originated as a student protest against a modest hike in metro fares quickly got out of control as demonstrations turned deadly.

A message on the presidency's official Twitter account said the state of emergency, which had seen 20,000 soldiers and police deployed on the streets, would end "in all the regions and towns where it was established."

This measure came a day after Pinera said he had "asked all <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chilean-president-vows-major-reshuffle-after-week-of-protests-258314">ministers to resign</a> in order to form a new government."

"We are in a new reality," Pinera said on Saturday. "Chile&nbsp;is different from what it was a week ago."

But demonstrations continued on Sunday as thousands of people marched to the seat of Congress in Valparaiso, 120 kilometers (75 miles) west of the capital Santiago.

"The strength of the social movement that has taken over the streets has been its... peaceful and constructive character," said Jorge Sharp, Valparaiso's mayor.

Some 100,000 people participated in the march, which ended in isolated clashes between demonstrators and the police, according to Sharp.

The government has been struggling to craft an effective response to the protests and a growing list of economic and political demands that include Pinera's resignation.

A group of around a thousand cyclists stopped outside the presidential palace in Santiago on Sunday, chanting: "Listen up Pinera: go to hell."

Around 15,000 people gathered peacefully in the capital's O'Higgins Park, according to police.

The breadth and ferocity of the demonstrations appeared to have blindsided the government of&nbsp;Chile, long one of Latin America's richest and most stable countries.&nbsp;

Demonstrators are angry at&nbsp;Chile's neo-liberal social model, low salaries and pensions, high health care and education costs, and a yawning gap between rich and poor.

Billionaire Pinera, who assumed office for a second time in March 2018, had already shuffled his cabinet twice in 15 months as doubts grew about a slowing economy and his leadership.

He offered a raft of measures earlier this week aimed at calming the public ire, including an increased minimum wage and pensions, some reductions in health care costs, and a streamlining of parliament.

"These measures aren't enough, even though they're an important step in the people's demands," said electrical engineer Eduardo Perez, 49.

By Saturday afternoon, the military presence in the capital Santiago had been already visibly reduced.

The week of unrest began with an initial burst of violence as protesters and looters destroyed metro stations, torched supermarkets, smashed traffic lights and bus stops, and erected burning street barricades.

At least 20 people died,&nbsp;half in fires started by looters,&nbsp;in the worst political violence since&nbsp;Chile&nbsp;returned to democracy after the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship from 1973-1990.&nbsp;

The police and army troops have been accused of using unnecessary force in putting down the protests.&nbsp;The United Nations is sending a team to investigate allegations of abuse.

The national human rights institute INDH said 584 people had been injured and 2,410 detained during the protests.

Hundreds of volunteers on Sunday joined in a huge clean-up operation in Santiago, washing down or painting walls that had been scrawled with graffiti and clearing up broken glass and the remnants of burned-out barricades.

The street movement still lacks recognizable leaders, though, and was mostly roused through social media, which analysts say makes it harder for the government to negotiate any resolution.

There were fears that continuing protests could put at risk the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade summit in Santiago from November 16-17, but the government said on Thursday it would go ahead.

US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are among those expected to attend the APEC meeting.

&nbsp;

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Monday ended a state of emergency that lasted more than a week amid mass protests, but demonstrations continued nonetheless.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Monday ended a state of emergency that lasted more than a week amid mass protests, but demonstrations continued nonetheless. The decision to lift the decree at midnight, just two days after more than a million people took to the country's streets demanding economic and political change, comes after the equally unpopular week-long nighttime curfews ended on Saturday. Authorities imposed both the state of emergency and curfews last weekend after Chile was rocked by its worst civil unrest in decades. What originated as a student protest against a modest hike in metro fares quickly got out of control as demonstrations turned deadly. A message on the presidency's official Twitter account said the state of emergency, which had seen 20,000 soldiers and police deployed on the streets, would end "in all the regions and towns where it was established." This measure came a day after Pinera said he had "asked all ministers to resign in order to form a new government." "We are in a new reality," Pinera said on Saturday. "Chile is different from what it was a week ago." But demonstrations continued on Sunday as thousands of people marched to the seat of Congress in Valparaiso, 120 kilometers (75 miles) west of the capital Santiago. "The strength of the social movement that has taken over the streets has been its... peaceful and constructive character," said Jorge Sharp, Valparaiso's mayor. Some 100,000 people participated in the march, which ended in isolated clashes between demonstrators and the police, according to Sharp. The government has been struggling to craft an effective response to the protests and a growing list of economic and political demands that include Pinera's resignation. A group of around a thousand cyclists stopped outside the presidential palace in Santiago on Sunday, chanting: "Listen up Pinera: go to hell." Around 15,000 people gathered peacefully in the capital's O'Higgins Park, according to police. The breadth and ferocity of the demonstrations appeared to have blindsided the government of Chile, long one of Latin America's richest and most stable countries. Demonstrators are angry at Chile's neo-liberal social model, low salaries and pensions, high health care and education costs, and a yawning gap between rich and poor. Billionaire Pinera, who assumed office for a second time in March 2018, had already shuffled his cabinet twice in 15 months as doubts grew about a slowing economy and his leadership. He offered a raft of measures earlier this week aimed at calming the public ire, including an increased minimum wage and pensions, some reductions in health care costs, and a streamlining of parliament. "These measures aren't enough, even though they're an important step in the people's demands," said electrical engineer Eduardo Perez, 49. By Saturday afternoon, the military presence in the capital Santiago had been already visibly reduced. The week of unrest began with an initial burst of violence as protesters and looters destroyed metro stations, torched supermarkets, smashed traffic lights and bus stops, and erected burning street barricades. At least 20 people died, half in fires started by looters, in the worst political violence since Chile returned to democracy after the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship from 1973-1990. The police and army troops have been accused of using unnecessary force in putting down the protests. The United Nations is sending a team to investigate allegations of abuse. The national human rights institute INDH said 584 people had been injured and 2,410 detained during the protests. Hundreds of volunteers on Sunday joined in a huge clean-up operation in Santiago, washing down or painting walls that had been scrawled with graffiti and clearing up broken glass and the remnants of burned-out barricades. The street movement still lacks recognizable leaders, though, and was mostly roused through social media, which analysts say makes it harder for the government to negotiate any resolution. There were fears that continuing protests could put at risk the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade summit in Santiago from November 16-17, but the government said on Thursday it would go ahead. US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are among those expected to attend the APEC meeting.

Chile president lifts state of emergency as protests continue

As many as a million&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chile-protesters-stay-in-streets-as-pinera-says-their-demands-loud-and-clear-258097">Chileans protested peacefully late</a> into the evening on Friday in the capital Santiago in the biggest rallies yet since violence broke out a week ago over entrenched inequality in the South American nation.

Protesters waving national flags, dancing, banging pots with wooden spoons and bearing placards urging political and social change streamed through the streets, walking for kilometres&nbsp;from around Santiago to converge on Plaza Italia. Traffic already hobbled by truck and taxi drivers protesting road tolls ground to a standstill in Santiago as crowds shut down major avenues and public transport closed early ahead of marches that built throughout the afternoon.

By mid-evening, most had made their way home in the dark ahead of an 11 p.m. military curfew.

Santiago Governor Karla Rubilar said a million people marched in the capital, more than five per cent of the country's population. Protesters elsewhere took to the streets in every major&nbsp;Chilean city.

"Today is a historic day," Rubilar wrote on Twitter. "The Metropolitan Region is host to a peaceful march of almost one million people who represent a dream for a new&nbsp;Chile."

Some local commentators estimated the Santiago rally well over the million marks&nbsp;describing it as the largest single march since the dying years of the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.

Chile's unrest is the latest in a flare-up of protests in South America and around the world - from Beirut to Barcelona - each with local triggers but also sharing underlying anger at social disparities and ruling elites.

Protests in&nbsp;Chile&nbsp;that started over a hike in public transport fares last Friday boiled into riots, arson and looting that have killed at least 17 people, injured hundreds, resulted in more than 7,000 arrests and caused more than $1.4 billion of losses to&nbsp;Chilean businesses.

Chile's military has taken over security in Santiago, a city of 6 million people now under a state of emergency with night-time curfews as 20,000 soldiers patrol the streets.

Clotilde Soto, a retired teacher aged 82, said she had taken to the streets because she did not want to die without seeing change for the better in her country.

"Above all we need better salaries and better pensions," she said.

Chile's centre-right President Sebastian Pinera, a billionaire businessman, trounced the opposition in the most recent 2017 election, dealing the centre-left ruling coalition its biggest loss since the country's return to democracy in 1990.

But as protests ignited this week, Pinera scrapped previous plans and promised instead to boost the minimum wage and pensions, ditch fare hikes on public transportation and fix the country's ailing health care system.

"We've all heard the message. We've all changed," said Pinera on Twitter following the peak of the rallies. "Today's joyful and peaceful march, in which&nbsp;Chileans have asked for a more just and unified&nbsp;Chile, opens hopeful paths into the future."

Still, many protest placards, chants and graffiti scrawled on buildings around the city call for his exit. 
 
Multicoloured crowd

As crowds of colourful demonstrators stretched along <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chiles-response-to-pineras-reforms-a-strike-and-more-protests-257826">Santiago's thoroughfares</a> as far as the eye could see, the noise of pots and pans being clanged with spoons, a clamour that has become the soundtrack for the popular uprising, was ear-splitting.

"The people, united, will never be defeated," the crowds chanted over the din.

By early evening there had been no signs of violence or clashes with the security forces, who maintained a significant but low-key presence inside paint-spattered and stone-dented armoured vehicles parked in side streets.

Beatriz Demur, 42, a yoga teacher from the suburb of Barrio Brazil, joined a stream of demonstrators shuffling toward Plaza Italia with her daughter Tabatha, 22.

"We want&nbsp;Chile&nbsp;to be a better place," said Demur. "The most powerful have privatised everything. It's been that way for 30 years."Eyeing the crowds packing the square, her daughter said: "I have waited for this a long time ... It's not scary, it's exciting. It means change."

Anali Parra, 26, a street hawker, was with her daughter Catalina, 9, and five-month-old son Gideon Jesus, his buggy decked in streamers and an indigenous Mapuche flag.

"This isn't going to go away," Parra said. "Pinera should just go now." 
 
'Urgent' reforms

On Friday morning, trucks, cars and taxis had slowed to a crawl on major roads, honking horns and waving&nbsp;Chilean flags. "No more tolls! Enough with the abuse!" read bright yellow-and-red signs plastered to the front of vehicles.

Many bus drivers in Santiago also staged a walk-off on Friday after one of their members was shot.

While much of the wealthy east Santiago has remained calm under evening lockdown, the poorer side of the city has seen widespread vandalism and looting.

Pinera told the nation on Thursday he had heard the demands of&nbsp;Chileans "loud and clear."

He has sent lawmakers legislation to overturn a recent hike in electricity rates and called for reforms to guarantee a minimum wage of $480 a month and introduce state medical insurance for catastrophes.

Seated with a group of elderly&nbsp;Chileans over lunch on Friday, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chile-president-announces-social-measures-to-stem-street-violence-257629">Pinera put finishing touches</a> on a bill to hike minimum pensions by 20 per cent. "We must approve these projects with the urgency that&nbsp;Chileans demand," Pinera said.

Lawmakers pushing the reforms forward were nonetheless forced to evacuate the country's Congress in the port city of Valparaiso earlier in the day when angry protesters rushed the building, overwhelming security forces.

An online poll conducted by local company Activa Research of 2,090 people between October&nbsp;22-23 found 83 per cent&nbsp;of respondents said they supported the goals of the demonstrators, but 72.5 per cent&nbsp;opposed violence as a method of protest.

The principal causes of the protests were low salaries, high utility prices, poor pensions and economic inequality, it said.

As many as a million Chileans protested peacefully late into the evening on Friday in the capital Santiago in the biggest rallies yet since violence broke out a week ago over entrenched inequality in the South American nation.

As many as a million Chileans protested peacefully late into the evening on Friday in the capital Santiago in the biggest rallies yet since violence broke out a week ago over entrenched inequality in the South American nation. Protesters waving national flags, dancing, banging pots with wooden spoons and bearing placards urging political and social change streamed through the streets, walking for kilometres from around Santiago to converge on Plaza Italia. Traffic already hobbled by truck and taxi drivers protesting road tolls ground to a standstill in Santiago as crowds shut down major avenues and public transport closed early ahead of marches that built throughout the afternoon. By mid-evening, most had made their way home in the dark ahead of an 11 p.m. military curfew. Santiago Governor Karla Rubilar said a million people marched in the capital, more than five per cent of the country's population. Protesters elsewhere took to the streets in every major Chilean city. "Today is a historic day," Rubilar wrote on Twitter. "The Metropolitan Region is host to a peaceful march of almost one million people who represent a dream for a new Chile." Some local commentators estimated the Santiago rally well over the million marks describing it as the largest single march since the dying years of the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Chile's unrest is the latest in a flare-up of protests in South America and around the world - from Beirut to Barcelona - each with local triggers but also sharing underlying anger at social disparities and ruling elites. Protests in Chile that started over a hike in public transport fares last Friday boiled into riots, arson and looting that have killed at least 17 people, injured hundreds, resulted in more than 7,000 arrests and caused more than $1.4 billion of losses to Chilean businesses. Chile's military has taken over security in Santiago, a city of 6 million people now under a state of emergency with night-time curfews as 20,000 soldiers patrol the streets. Clotilde Soto, a retired teacher aged 82, said she had taken to the streets because she did not want to die without seeing change for the better in her country. "Above all we need better salaries and better pensions," she said. Chile's centre-right President Sebastian Pinera, a billionaire businessman, trounced the opposition in the most recent 2017 election, dealing the centre-left ruling coalition its biggest loss since the country's return to democracy in 1990. But as protests ignited this week, Pinera scrapped previous plans and promised instead to boost the minimum wage and pensions, ditch fare hikes on public transportation and fix the country's ailing health care system. "We've all heard the message. We've all changed," said Pinera on Twitter following the peak of the rallies. "Today's joyful and peaceful march, in which Chileans have asked for a more just and unified Chile, opens hopeful paths into the future." Still, many protest placards, chants and graffiti scrawled on buildings around the city call for his exit. Multicoloured crowd As crowds of colourful demonstrators stretched along Santiago's thoroughfares as far as the eye could see, the noise of pots and pans being clanged with spoons, a clamour that has become the soundtrack for the popular uprising, was ear-splitting. "The people, united, will never be defeated," the crowds chanted over the din. By early evening there had been no signs of violence or clashes with the security forces, who maintained a significant but low-key presence inside paint-spattered and stone-dented armoured vehicles parked in side streets. Beatriz Demur, 42, a yoga teacher from the suburb of Barrio Brazil, joined a stream of demonstrators shuffling toward Plaza Italia with her daughter Tabatha, 22. "We want Chile to be a better place," said Demur. "The most powerful have privatised everything. It's been that way for 30 years."Eyeing the crowds packing the square, her daughter said: "I have waited for this a long time ... It's not scary, it's exciting. It means change." Anali Parra, 26, a street hawker, was with her daughter Catalina, 9, and five-month-old son Gideon Jesus, his buggy decked in streamers and an indigenous Mapuche flag. "This isn't going to go away," Parra said. "Pinera should just go now." 'Urgent' reforms On Friday morning, trucks, cars and taxis had slowed to a crawl on major roads, honking horns and waving Chilean flags. "No more tolls! Enough with the abuse!" read bright yellow-and-red signs plastered to the front of vehicles. Many bus drivers in Santiago also staged a walk-off on Friday after one of their members was shot. While much of the wealthy east Santiago has remained calm under evening lockdown, the poorer side of the city has seen widespread vandalism and looting. Pinera told the nation on Thursday he had heard the demands of Chileans "loud and clear." He has sent lawmakers legislation to overturn a recent hike in electricity rates and called for reforms to guarantee a minimum wage of $480 a month and introduce state medical insurance for catastrophes. Seated with a group of elderly Chileans over lunch on Friday, Pinera put finishing touches on a bill to hike minimum pensions by 20 per cent. "We must approve these projects with the urgency that Chileans demand," Pinera said. Lawmakers pushing the reforms forward were nonetheless forced to evacuate the country's Congress in the port city of Valparaiso earlier in the day when angry protesters rushed the building, overwhelming security forces. An online poll conducted by local company Activa Research of 2,090 people between October 22-23 found 83 per cent of respondents said they supported the goals of the demonstrators, but 72.5 per cent opposed violence as a method of protest. The principal causes of the protests were low salaries, high utility prices, poor pensions and economic inequality, it said.

One million Chileans march in Santiago, city grinds to halt

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera announced a package of social measures Tuesday aimed at stemming days of protests over economic inequality that have swept the country and claimed 15 lives.

Apologizing to the nation for failing to anticipate the outbreak of social unrest, Pinera said his government had "received with humility and clarity the message Chileans have given us."

The leader vowed to increase the universal basic pension by 20 per cent, cancel a recent 9.2 per cent increase in electricity bills and propose a law that would see the state cover the costs of expensive medical treatment.

"I recognize this lack of vision and I apologize to my compatriots," Pinera said in an address from the presidential palace in Santiago.

Pinera also pledged a state subsidy to increase the minimum wage to 350,000 pesos ($482) a month and said the government would introduce health insurance for medication, which is among the most expensive in the region.

Earlier in the day, he met with the leaders of some of Chile's opposition parties as he sought a way to stem the country's worst violence in decades, initially triggered by an increase in metro fares.&nbsp;

The protests, which began Friday, mushroomed into a broader outcry against social and economic woes, including a yawning gap between rich and poor, in a country normally considered one of the most stable in Latin America.

Pinera quickly suspended the metro fare hike but also declared that Chile was "at war against a powerful, implacable enemy," and imposed a state of emergency in Santiago and most of Chile's 16 regions.

Adopting a more conciliatory tone, he later called for Tuesday's meeting, which was boycotted by three of the largest opposition groups, including the powerful Socialist Party.

The day's protests were mostly peaceful, particularly in the capital, although looting continued in other towns.

But with the country's largest union, the Workers' United Center of Chile (CUT) alongside 18 other social organizations, calling strikes and protests for Thursday and Friday, the pressure had been on Pinera to act.

The protest violence -- widespread looting, arson and clashes with the 20,000 security forces deployed on the streets -- is the worst to hit Chile since the country's return to democracy after the 1973-1990 rightwing dictatorship led by General Augusto Pinochet.

On Tuesday the army announced a nighttime curfew -- from 8:00 pm to 5:00 am -- for the fourth day in a row.

Huge wealth disparity

Before Pinera's announcement, one of Chile's largest conglomerates, Quinenco, decided to act swiftly and promised to increase its minimum salaries to 500,000 pesos a month from January 1 -- 60 per cent more than the current minimum wage of 301,000 pesos.

Chile's big business conglomerates are one of the major factors in the huge wealth disparity that has angered protesters.

A 55-year-old man taking part in Monday's protests, who gave his name only as Orlando, told AFP that low salaries and pensions, waiting lists at hospitals and high prices for medicine, were the true reasons for the protests.

The government started naming some of the dead on Tuesday. Nine had died in fires, one was electrocuted and five were shot, four of those by the security forces.

Eleven of the fatalities were in the Santiago region, while a Peruvian and an Ecuadorian were among the dead.

Chile's human rights institute said more than 200 people had been taken to the hospital, almost half with gunshot wounds, while many others suffered eye injuries from pellets.

Since the unrest began, more than 2,600 people have been detained.

Relative calm

Tuesday saw almost none of the violence, looting or torching of public property and private businesses that marked the first few days of protest.

However, television images showed looters in one town smashing a bus into a department store before ransacking it.

In central Santiago, many shops and businesses that were closed on Monday reopened. Commuters and shoppers formed long lines at bus stops and supermarkets.

Only one of the Santiago metro's seven lines -- which normally carry three million people a day -- was operational, although a fleet of 4,300 public buses took up much of the slack.

More than half of Santiago's 136 metro stations suffered heavy damage during last week's protests.

Around 50 schools and 10 universities in the capital remained closed on Tuesday but hospitals and clinics operated normally.

At Santiago's international airport, South American airline giant LATAM brought out deck chairs for passengers stranded by flight cancellations caused by the protests.

Chile's football association said it was suspending its professional leagues for a second successive weekend.&nbsp;

Security forces have previously used tear gas and water cannon on stone-throwing demonstrators who set up street barricades and lit fires.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera announced a package of social measures Tuesday aimed at stemming days of protests over economic inequality that have swept the country and claimed 15 lives.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera announced a package of social measures Tuesday aimed at stemming days of protests over economic inequality that have swept the country and claimed 15 lives. Apologizing to the nation for failing to anticipate the outbreak of social unrest, Pinera said his government had "received with humility and clarity the message Chileans have given us." The leader vowed to increase the universal basic pension by 20 per cent, cancel a recent 9.2 per cent increase in electricity bills and propose a law that would see the state cover the costs of expensive medical treatment. "I recognize this lack of vision and I apologize to my compatriots," Pinera said in an address from the presidential palace in Santiago. Pinera also pledged a state subsidy to increase the minimum wage to 350,000 pesos ($482) a month and said the government would introduce health insurance for medication, which is among the most expensive in the region. Earlier in the day, he met with the leaders of some of Chile's opposition parties as he sought a way to stem the country's worst violence in decades, initially triggered by an increase in metro fares. The protests, which began Friday, mushroomed into a broader outcry against social and economic woes, including a yawning gap between rich and poor, in a country normally considered one of the most stable in Latin America. Pinera quickly suspended the metro fare hike but also declared that Chile was "at war against a powerful, implacable enemy," and imposed a state of emergency in Santiago and most of Chile's 16 regions. Adopting a more conciliatory tone, he later called for Tuesday's meeting, which was boycotted by three of the largest opposition groups, including the powerful Socialist Party. The day's protests were mostly peaceful, particularly in the capital, although looting continued in other towns. But with the country's largest union, the Workers' United Center of Chile (CUT) alongside 18 other social organizations, calling strikes and protests for Thursday and Friday, the pressure had been on Pinera to act. The protest violence -- widespread looting, arson and clashes with the 20,000 security forces deployed on the streets -- is the worst to hit Chile since the country's return to democracy after the 1973-1990 rightwing dictatorship led by General Augusto Pinochet. On Tuesday the army announced a nighttime curfew -- from 8:00 pm to 5:00 am -- for the fourth day in a row. Huge wealth disparity Before Pinera's announcement, one of Chile's largest conglomerates, Quinenco, decided to act swiftly and promised to increase its minimum salaries to 500,000 pesos a month from January 1 -- 60 per cent more than the current minimum wage of 301,000 pesos. Chile's big business conglomerates are one of the major factors in the huge wealth disparity that has angered protesters. A 55-year-old man taking part in Monday's protests, who gave his name only as Orlando, told AFP that low salaries and pensions, waiting lists at hospitals and high prices for medicine, were the true reasons for the protests. The government started naming some of the dead on Tuesday. Nine had died in fires, one was electrocuted and five were shot, four of those by the security forces. Eleven of the fatalities were in the Santiago region, while a Peruvian and an Ecuadorian were among the dead. Chile's human rights institute said more than 200 people had been taken to the hospital, almost half with gunshot wounds, while many others suffered eye injuries from pellets. Since the unrest began, more than 2,600 people have been detained. Relative calm Tuesday saw almost none of the violence, looting or torching of public property and private businesses that marked the first few days of protest. However, television images showed looters in one town smashing a bus into a department store before ransacking it. In central Santiago, many shops and businesses that were closed on Monday reopened. Commuters and shoppers formed long lines at bus stops and supermarkets. Only one of the Santiago metro's seven lines -- which normally carry three million people a day -- was operational, although a fleet of 4,300 public buses took up much of the slack. More than half of Santiago's 136 metro stations suffered heavy damage during last week's protests. Around 50 schools and 10 universities in the capital remained closed on Tuesday but hospitals and clinics operated normally. At Santiago's international airport, South American airline giant LATAM brought out deck chairs for passengers stranded by flight cancellations caused by the protests. Chile's football association said it was suspending its professional leagues for a second successive weekend. Security forces have previously used tear gas and water cannon on stone-throwing demonstrators who set up street barricades and lit fires.

Chile president announces social measures to stem street violence

Massive protests continued in Chile on Tuesday (October 22) even as lawmakers called for reforms to tackle inequality in response to countrywide riots that sowed chaos in the South A merican nation and led to 15 deaths and the arrest of more than 2,600 people.

Chileans mount mass protests in Santiago

Tense scenes in the Chilean capital of Santiago on Sunday (September 8) as police used tear gas on protesters at an event commemorating the victims of the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.

Chile: Peaceful march turns violent

A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit north-central Chile on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake struck at a depth of 53 kilometers (33 miles) with an epicenter some 15 km southwest of Coquimbo, according to the USGS.

The earthquake, which hit at 0132 GMT (Sunday), was felt in Valparaiso, O'Higgins and the region of the capital Santiago, as well as in Atacama and Coquimbo up north.

Thousands of homes lost power, which showed how intense the quake was, according to Ricardo Toro of the National Emergency Office.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Chile is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries.

The 1960 Valdivia earthquake in Chile was the strongest ever recorded, at 9.5, on the magnitude scale, according to the USGS.

Chile lies on what is known as the Ring of Fire -- an arc of fault lines that circles the Pacific Basin and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit north-central Chile on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said. The quake struck at a depth of 53 kilometers (33 miles) with an epicenter some 15 km southwest of Coquimbo, according to the USGS.

A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit north-central Chile on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said. The quake struck at a depth of 53 kilometers (33 miles) with an epicenter some 15 km southwest of Coquimbo, according to the USGS. The earthquake, which hit at 0132 GMT (Sunday), was felt in Valparaiso, O'Higgins and the region of the capital Santiago, as well as in Atacama and Coquimbo up north. Thousands of homes lost power, which showed how intense the quake was, according to Ricardo Toro of the National Emergency Office. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. Chile is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. The 1960 Valdivia earthquake in Chile was the strongest ever recorded, at 9.5, on the magnitude scale, according to the USGS. Chile lies on what is known as the Ring of Fire -- an arc of fault lines that circles the Pacific Basin and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Strong 6.7-strength earthquake jolts north-central Chile: USGS

Voting began on&nbsp;Sunday in the first round of Chile&#39;s presidential election, with former president Sebastian Pinera likely to cement his frontrunner status to succeed Socialist leader Michelle Bachelet.

But it was unclear whether Pinera, a 67-year-old billionaire who was president from 2010-2014, would gain enough support to avoid a runoff against the runner-up -- likely to be Alejandro Guillier, an independent supported by Bachelet&#39;s Socialists.

It was unclear whether Pinera, who was president from 2010-2014, would gain enough support to avoid a runoff against the runner-up -- likely to be Alejandro Guillier, an independent supported by Bachelet's Socialists

Voting began on Sunday in the first round of Chile's presidential election, with former president Sebastian Pinera likely to cement his frontrunner status to succeed Socialist leader Michelle Bachelet. But it was unclear whether Pinera, a 67-year-old billionaire who was president from 2010-2014, would gain enough support to avoid a runoff against the runner-up -- likely to be Alejandro Guillier, an independent supported by Bachelet's Socialists.

Polls open for first round of Presidential elections in Chile

Chileans vote for a new president on Sunday, with billionaire conservative Sebastian Pinera the favorite to win, although a crowded field of leftist challengers are likely to force a December runoff.

Opinion polls show Pinera, who was president between 2010 and 2014 and leads the Chile Vamos bloc, with a commanding lead over his seven mostly left-of-center rivals, but still shy of the 50 percent needed for an outright win.

Former TV anchorman, Senator Alejandro Guillier, is the flagbearer for President Michelle Bachelet&#39;s fractured center-left Nueva Mayoria coalition. He leads the race for second place, with around 21 percent of likely voter support compared to about 42 percent for Pinera, according to a CEP poll last month.

The election is the latest in South America to pit left-leaning leaders against the conservatives taking their places.

It also marks a turning point for Chile&#39;s coalition of center-left parties, previously known as the Concertacion. The pact, which for decades has dominated Chilean politics, fissured under Bachelet, riven by disagreements over policies such as loosening Chile&#39;s strict abortion laws and strengthening unions.

Bachelet, who is barred from running in this election by term limits, will step down with approval ratings near 30 percent and the legacy of her social and economic policies uncertain.

Many Chileans view the election as a referendum on her second term, which focused on reducing inequality by making education more affordable and overhauling the tax code.

Pinera, the market favorite, campaigned on a platform of scaling back and &quot;perfecting&quot; her tax and labor laws, seen by many in the business community as having crimped investment at a time when slumping copper prices were already driving down economic growth in the world&#39;s No. 1 copper producer.

Guillier, who is ideologically aligned with Bachelet, has promised to deepen her reforms and sought to tap into fears that a return of Pinera would mark a setback for gains made for students, women and workers.

Pinera garnered international attention and domestic praise for his handling of the dramatic rescue of 33 trapped miners during his prior term in 2010, and is seen as a safe pair of hands by investors.

But his administration was marred by massive student protests seeking an education overhaul. His responses were often seen as out of touch and grassroots groups still oppose him.

Both Pinera and Guillier would keep in place the longstanding free-market economic model in one of Latin America&#39;s most developed countries.

SUBDUED ATMOSPHERE

On the eve of the vote, the atmosphere in Chilean capital Santiago was subdued. New restrictions on campaigning have left the city uncluttered with political posters and the sense that a Pinera victory was inevitable had quieted the usual political debates in cafes and bars.

In addition, Chileans have grown disenchanted with politics following campaign financing and other cash-for-influence scandals that have entangled politicians on both the left and right.

But voter turnout will serve as a bellwether for the runoff.

A strong showing of voters could help the left marshal enough votes to defeat Pinera in the second round, while apathy and continued quarrelling among left-leaning parties would pave the way for a Pinera victory.

Bachelet&#39;s administration has offered free rides to voting centers on public transportation, part of a get-out-the-vote campaign criticized by Pinera&#39;s campaign as a political maneuver aimed at bolstering Guillier.

Turnout in elections following Chile&#39;s transition from compulsory to voluntary voting in 2012 has dipped as low as 42 percent, near the bottom of developed countries, according to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.

&quot;I&#39;m not going to vote because in the end it doesn&#39;t change anything,&quot; said Santiago resident Catalina Avedano, 38, as she waited in line at a public health center this week.

Chileans vote for a new president on Sunday, with billionaire conservative Sebastian Pinera the favorite to win, although a crowded field of leftist challengers are likely to force a December runoff

Chileans vote for a new president on Sunday, with billionaire conservative Sebastian Pinera the favorite to win, although a crowded field of leftist challengers are likely to force a December runoff. Opinion polls show Pinera, who was president between 2010 and 2014 and leads the Chile Vamos bloc, with a commanding lead over his seven mostly left-of-center rivals, but still shy of the 50 percent needed for an outright win. Former TV anchorman, Senator Alejandro Guillier, is the flagbearer for President Michelle Bachelet's fractured center-left Nueva Mayoria coalition. He leads the race for second place, with around 21 percent of likely voter support compared to about 42 percent for Pinera, according to a CEP poll last month. The election is the latest in South America to pit left-leaning leaders against the conservatives taking their places. It also marks a turning point for Chile's coalition of center-left parties, previously known as the Concertacion. The pact, which for decades has dominated Chilean politics, fissured under Bachelet, riven by disagreements over policies such as loosening Chile's strict abortion laws and strengthening unions. Bachelet, who is barred from running in this election by term limits, will step down with approval ratings near 30 percent and the legacy of her social and economic policies uncertain. Many Chileans view the election as a referendum on her second term, which focused on reducing inequality by making education more affordable and overhauling the tax code. Pinera, the market favorite, campaigned on a platform of scaling back and "perfecting" her tax and labor laws, seen by many in the business community as having crimped investment at a time when slumping copper prices were already driving down economic growth in the world's No. 1 copper producer. Guillier, who is ideologically aligned with Bachelet, has promised to deepen her reforms and sought to tap into fears that a return of Pinera would mark a setback for gains made for students, women and workers. Pinera garnered international attention and domestic praise for his handling of the dramatic rescue of 33 trapped miners during his prior term in 2010, and is seen as a safe pair of hands by investors. But his administration was marred by massive student protests seeking an education overhaul. His responses were often seen as out of touch and grassroots groups still oppose him. Both Pinera and Guillier would keep in place the longstanding free-market economic model in one of Latin America's most developed countries. SUBDUED ATMOSPHERE On the eve of the vote, the atmosphere in Chilean capital Santiago was subdued. New restrictions on campaigning have left the city uncluttered with political posters and the sense that a Pinera victory was inevitable had quieted the usual political debates in cafes and bars. In addition, Chileans have grown disenchanted with politics following campaign financing and other cash-for-influence scandals that have entangled politicians on both the left and right. But voter turnout will serve as a bellwether for the runoff. A strong showing of voters could help the left marshal enough votes to defeat Pinera in the second round, while apathy and continued quarrelling among left-leaning parties would pave the way for a Pinera victory. Bachelet's administration has offered free rides to voting centers on public transportation, part of a get-out-the-vote campaign criticized by Pinera's campaign as a political maneuver aimed at bolstering Guillier. Turnout in elections following Chile's transition from compulsory to voluntary voting in 2012 has dipped as low as 42 percent, near the bottom of developed countries, according to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. "I'm not going to vote because in the end it doesn't change anything," said Santiago resident Catalina Avedano, 38, as she waited in line at a public health center this week.

Former leader Pinera seen as favorite as Chileans vote for president

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