Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Chile protests: Unrest in Santiago over metro
fare increase
Chile is a very long narrow strip of land
that lies between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The capital, as
well as the largest city, is Santiago, where over six million people live. In the
metropolitan city, there are seven metro lines that stretch 140 kilometers with
136 stations, the most extensive metro network in South America. Over 2.5 million
passengers are carried daily by this state-owned metro network, the Santiago
Metro, which is part of the integrated public transport system that serves the
capital using also feeder and main bus routes. Indeed, the metro serves an important
role for residents of Santiago.
Recently, protests were sparked in the
capital city when a fare increase of this vital metro system was announced, and
some of them turned violent. Young protesters, mainly high school and college
students attacked underground stations, started fires and blocked traffic, just
like Hong Kong. A state of emergencies was declared to contain the unrest.
Why did a price hike of metro fares trigger
such violence? Do young people think they are allowed to protest in any way
they want?
Enjoy reading the article and think about the
similarities and differences in protests in Santiago and Hong Kong.
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