New Delhi:
Chilean authorities extended a curfew for a second consecutive night Sunday after two people died in a torched supermarket amid a wave of unrest over price hikes and social inequality. Police and the military fired tear gas and used water cannon against protesters in the capital Santiago as clashes raged through a third day.
Chile's president declared a state of emergency in Santiago on Friday night and gave the military responsibility for security after a day of violent protests over an increase in the price of metro tickets. Throughout Friday, protestors clashed with riot police in several parts of the capital and the subway system was shut after attacks on stations in some of the worst violence the city has seen in years. At least 16 buses were torched and a dozen metro stations totally destroyed.
Around midnight President Sebastian Pinera declared a state of emergency and appointed Major General Javier Iturriaga del Campo as head of national defense.
"The objective of this state of emergency is very simple but very profound: to ensure public order and peace for the inhabitants of Santiago," Pinera said in a statement.
The state of emergency is initially for 15 days and restricts freedom of movement and assembly. Due to the emergency, the National Football Association has suspended matches this weekend.
General Iturriaga said the military would patrol major trouble spots in the city of seven million but would not impose a curfew at present.
"We are not going to restrict any personal freedom for now," he said. Violent clashes escalated as night fell and the headquarters of the ENEL Chile power company and a Banco Chile branch, both in the city center, were set on fire and several metro stations hit with Molotov cocktails. The ENEL tower blaze was put out with no one injured, firefighters said.
