Chile Already Preparing for Intense Protests in March

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The protests of the social movement will gain momentum again in Chile no later than March, according to the latest announcements. The 8M alliance (Coordinadora Feminista 8M – CF8M), together with other organizations, called for a “Feminist March” and announced a “mobilization calendar”. Meanwhile, the latest statistics once again confirm the brutality inflicted on protesters since the demonstrations began last October.

A number of the actions now underway began last week in several cities in Chile and are expected to continue throughout March, with political action planned almost daily. The 16 main demands are united under the slogan “Against the Precarity of Life”. These include on the one hand the fight against sexism and racism in everyday life, for instance in school teaching programs, and on the other hand the improvement and safeguarding of social services such as housing and employment rights or social security.

The kick-off is planned for the “super feminist Monday” on March 2nd. The peak should be the general strike planned for March 8th and 9th, which will be followed by a large-scale demonstration. The CF8M expects a bigger impact than last year’s Women’s Day, in which over one million Chileans participated. The organizers point out that on the days of the general strike, women should stop their productive and reproductive work in order to expose domestic and casual work.

The feminist movement has been growing massively in Chile, as well as in many of its neighboring countries, and in some cases has already taken a leading role in the current wave of protests. For instance, in just a few days the song “un violador en tu camino” (a rapist on your path) by the band “Las Tesis” has become a worldwide feminist anthem and, including its choreography, has spread like wildfire across the globe.

The Chilean police are also preparing for March. Officers were required to attend a number of workshops and training sessions in February. The security officers’ other tasks are to track down calls for mobilization from various organizations in order to be better prepared for the different operations. This is due to the fact that the majority of demonstrations no longer take place for political reasons: Of the 25 calls identified so far, only two have officially requested permission.

In addition, the referendum on the new constitution is drawing closer. There will be a referendum on April 26th on whether there will be a new constitution in Chile, and if so, how and by whom it will be drafted. Proponents and opponents of a new constitution are currently campaigning for their respective goals in the media, among other means. In recent days, the first violent clashes between the two groups have occurred. Supporters and journalists of the newspaper “The Clinic” were attacked on the street by opponents of the new constitution. They were described as infiltrated communists and then beaten and robbed.

However, protests continued in recent weeks despite the holiday and vacation season. Particularly in locations such as the renamed Plaza de la Dignidad (formerly Plaza Italia), there are again violent clashes between protesters and the police every Friday.

Meanwhile, the National Institute for Human Rights (INDH) reports 10,365 arrests since protests began. Twelve percent of these are children and youths. The Prosecutor General’s Office, on the other hand, reports over 22,000 arrests. In a report by the Supreme Court, 977 of the arrests up to November alone were classified as illegal. The ongoing intense repression by the police has also recently resulted in more deaths. In addition to the over 30 deaths, there are 3,649 injured.

Following investigations on the ground, a number of human rights organizations have issued reports condemning the government’s severe repression. Recurrent accusations include the excessive use of force by the security forces against protesters and the systematic violation of human rights. Another document has now been submitted to the Inter-American Supreme Court of Human Rights, listing the particularly severe human rights violations in the city of Valparaíso. The high percentage of children and youths among those affected is striking.