Chilean Activist: Same Elites Who Caused Social Crisis Can’t Be Trusted to Write New Constitution

In Chile, protesters led a massive national strike Tuesday as they condemned the government’s plans to rewrite the country’s Constitution, which dates back to Augusto Pinochet’s military regime. Chile’s interior minister announced Sunday the government would draft a new constitution that Congress would then rewrite and put to a public referendum. But protesters say the people should be involved with the rewriting of the constitution from the beginning and that this is an attempt by Sebastián Piñera’s government to delay political and social reforms in Chile. The Chilean authorities have killed at least 20 people and wounded thousands more since the protests erupted on October 19 in response to a subway fare hike and quickly grew into a revolt against austerity and economic inequality. Amnesty International has denounced the Chilean government for widespread human rights violations against protesters. From Santiago, we speak with Pablo Abufom, a member of the Solidaridad movement, an anti-capitalist and feminist organization in Chile.

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