SANTIAGO, Dec 25 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) – In a Christmas Eve address on Tuesday, Chile’s President, Sebastian Pinera, called for an end to more than two months of anti-government protests, and greater political cooperation.
Pinera urged unity and conciliation not just with protesters, but also among his own ruling coalition of four parties, Chile Vamos, which has been divided by differences of opinion on how to deal with the political and social unrest.
“A divided country … doesn’t have a good future. A united country that respects its differences, but is capable of building together, is a country that has a bright future,” said Pinera.
“Leave behind all these feelings of conflict, of division, of confrontation and look for what unites us, instead of looking for what sets us apart,” Pinera added.
In mid-Oct, massive protests broke out against a hike in subway fares in the capital Santiago, and quickly spread throughout the country, fuelled by anger at Chile’s inability to distribute the country’s wealth, leading to growing inequality.
Chileans will vote in an Apr 26 plebiscite, on whether to rewrite the Constitution, to better address economic and social disparities.– NNN-PRENSA LATINA