A demonstrator holds up his hands toward advancing soldiers during a protest as a state of emergency remains in effect in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Protests in the country have spilled over into a new day, even after President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
Chile’s death toll has risen to 11, authorities said on Monday, after three days of violent demonstrations and looting that saw President Sebastian Pinera claim the country was “at war.”
Almost 1,500 people were detained in the worst outbreak of social unrest in decades while the capital Santiago was placed under curfew for two nights running.
“We are at war against a powerful, implacable enemy, who does not respect anything or anyone and is willing to use violence and crime without any limits,” Pinera told reporters on Sunday after an emergency meeting with army general Javier Iturriaga, who has been placed in charge of order and security in the capital.
Karla Rubilar, the governor of the Santiago region, said eight people had died on Sunday and three on Saturday — all in the Santiago metropolitan area.
Santiago and nine more of Chile’s 16 regions were under a state of emergency, Pinera confirmed late on Sunday, with troops deployed onto the streets for the first time since Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship between 1973-1990.
The clashes, which have seen some 9,500 police and military fire tear gas and water cannon against protesters who have set fire to buses, smashed up metro stations and ransacked shops, were initially sparked by anger over metro fare hikes and wider social inequality. (AP)
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Police fire tear gas at protesters violating a curfew in downtown Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Protests in the country have spilled over into a new day, even after President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
Police detain a demonstrator in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Protests in the country have spilled over into a new day, even after President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
A protester kicks a tear gas canister during clashes with police in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Protests in the country have spilled over into a new day, even after President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
A protester returns a tear gas canister to police during clashes in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Protests in the country have spilled over into a new day, even after President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
Police detain a demonstrator in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Protests in the country have spilled over into a new day, even after President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
Police spray water at demonstrators blocking an avenue in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Protests in the country have spilled over into a new day, even after President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
A worker cleans up a supermarket looted during protests in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Chilean President Sebastián Piñera on Saturday announced the suspension of a subway fare hike that had prompted violent student protests, less than a day after he declared a state of emergency amid rioting and commuter chaos in the capital. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
A protester intercepts a tear gas canister thrown by riot police in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Protests in the country have spilled over into a new day, even after President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
A van set on fire by protesters burns in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Protests in the country have spilled over into a new day, even after President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
Demonstrators clash with police launching tear gas as a state of emergency remains in effect in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Protests in the country have spilled over into a new day, even after President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
Demonstrators run from tear gas launched by police as a state of emergency remains in effect in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Protests in the country have spilled over into a new day, even after President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
Protesters block a street with burning garbage and violate a curfew in downtown Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Protests in the country have spilled over into a new day, even after President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
Demonstrators run from police launching water canons and tear gas as a state of emergency remains in effect in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Protests in the country have spilled over into a new day, even after President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the subway fare hike that prompted massive and violent demonstrations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
Firefighters put out the flames on a burning bus during a protest against the rising cost of subway and bus fares, in Santiago, Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
A demonstrator wearing a mask throws a plank of wood into a flaming barricade during a protests in Santiago, Chile, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019. The protests started on Friday afternoon when high school students flooded subway stations, jumping turnstiles, dodging fares and vandalizing stations as part of protests against a fare hike, but by nightfall had extended throughout Santiago with students setting up barricades and fires at the entrances to subway stations, forcing President Sebastian Pinera to announce a state of emergency and deploy the armed forces into the streets. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
Firefighters put out the flames on a burning bus during a protest against the rising cost of subway and bus fares, in Santiago, Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
A police water cannon extinguishes a burning bus that was set alight by demonstrators during a protest in Santiago, Chile, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019. The protests started on Friday afternoon when high school students flooded subway stations, jumping turnstiles, dodging fares and vandalizing stations as part of protests against a fare hike, but by nightfall had extended throughout Santiago with students setting up barricades and fires at the entrances to subway stations, forcing President Sebastian Pinera to announce a state of emergency and deploy the armed forces into the streets. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
A police officer walks in a subway station that was torched during last night’s protests, in Santiago, Chile, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019. The protests started on Friday afternoon when high school students flooded subway stations, jumping turnstiles, dodging fares and vandalizing stations as part of protests against a fare hike, but by nightfall had extended throughout Santiago with students setting up barricades and fires at the entrances to subway stations, forcing President Sebastian Pinera to announce a state of emergency and deploy the armed forces into the streets. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
A pigeon affected by last night’s fire at a subway station is touched by a station worker, after a night of protests in Santiago, Chile, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019. The protests started on Friday afternoon when high school students flooded subway stations, jumping turnstiles, dodging fares and vandalizing stations as part of protests against a fare hike, but by nightfall had extended throughout Santiago with students setting up barricades and fires at the entrances to subway stations. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
Chilean police stand in a subway station that was damaged during last night’s protests, in Santiago, Chile, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019. The protests started on Friday afternoon when high school students flooded subway stations, jumping turnstiles, dodging fares and vandalizing stations as part of protests against a fare hike, but by nightfall had extended throughout Santiago with students setting up barricades and fires at the entrances to subway stations, forcing President Sebastian Pinera to announce a state of emergency and deploy the armed forces into the streets. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
A police water cannon puts out a burning barricade near the Santa Lucia subway station during a protest against the rising cost of subway and bus fares, in Santiago, Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
A protester kicks a tear gas canister launched by police near the Santa Lucia subway station during a protest against the rising cost of subway and bus fares, in Santiago, Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
A pedestrian quickens his pace to escape the fumes caused by tear gas tear launched by police during a protest against the rising cost of subway and bus fares, in Santiago, Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
Protesters push a bicycle in front of a gate of the Santa Lucia subway station during a protest against the rising cost of subway and bus fares, in Santiago, Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. (Photo: Esteban Felix/AP)
