In October 2019, huge protests exploded across Chile. They began against increased public transportation fees, but they soon grew into the largest protest movement the country had seen since the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Those in the streets dreamed of transforming the country, but five years later, reforms have yet to be made.
Protests are breaking out worldwide — and they share some basic characteristics. Fed up with rising inequality, corruption and slow economic growth, angry citizens worldwide are demanding an end to corruption and the restoration of a democratic rule of law.
Indigenous protesters in Chile took down statues of Spanish colonizers and other heroes during demonstrations last week. Local media called the destruction acts of vandalism, but the Mapuche, the largest Indigenous group in Chile, are demanding more political autonomy and representation.