Prices, living situation and the fourth term .. Reasons sparked protests in Latin America

A number of Latin American countries are experiencing unprecedented protests, some due to economic and social crises, others for political reasons.

Chile and Colombia are experiencing stormy movements that have prompted authorities to try to end crises and seek solutions, while protests in Bolivia have upset the political landscape after President Evo Morales stepped down and headed to Mexico. What exactly happened in these three countries?

Chile .. wave of anger
The wave of anger began on October 18 over metro ticket prices, but it has expanded into a bigger cry against social inequality in the once-stable country in South America.

This is the biggest crisis in the country since the return of democracy in 1990 and the end of the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.

Twenty-three people were killed and more than 2,000 injured, including more than 200 seriously injured in the eyes.

So far, protests have continued despite the suspension and social measures proposed by conservative President Sebastian Pinera.

Thousands of people gathered again on Friday in Piazza Italia in the center of the capital, the fifth "biggest march in Chile" called every Friday since the start of the movement.

According to one of the demonstrators, there is no place to back down in the absence of any of their demands and the continued repression, and the signing of what it called "false agreements" by the government.

In the latest development, the government on Friday called for calm in the face of escalating violence in demonstrations and social protests that have continued for five weeks.

"I want to make a deep and sincere appeal to all political forces to call for peace," Interior Minister Gonzalo Plumel said, stressing that "the most important task we have today is a country."

Colombia rejects Duque's policies
Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets since last Thursday in unprecedented large-scale demonstrations against President Ivan Duque, whose popularity has plummeted less than 18 months after he took office.

Demonstrations, marches and strikes are in protest against liberal economic policies and armed violence, in which thousands of people took part.

Students, indigenous organizations, environmentalists and opposition joined the strike and marches by trade unions to denounce right-wing government policies.

In addition to Doki's security policy, which focuses on fighting the drug trade and increasing violence in some areas since the signing of the peace agreement with the FARC rebels in 2016, protesters denounce his tendency to lean on the labor market, weaken the General Pension Fund for private companies, and raise the retirement age. .

The organizers called on citizens to "stand ready to make new moves in the street if the government continues to be indifferent to the demands."

In a bid to resolve the crisis, the president said he would launch a national dialogue on Sunday to try to respond to the country's most important protest movement in recent years.

"Tomorrow, we will start a national dialogue with elected mayors and governors from all over the country," Duque wrote on Twitter on Saturday evening.

The president, whose popularity plummeted by 69 percent, said he would continue this dialogue next week with "various social sectors."

Bolivia .. Beyond Morales
The unrest erupted over the accusation that President Evo Morales was rigging the results of the October 20 presidential election to govern for a new term.

After losing military support after three weeks of mass demonstrations against his controversial election victory for a fourth unconstitutional term, Morales left on November 12 for Mexico after granting him political asylum.

On the same day, Vice President of the Senate (upper house of parliament) Janine Agnès declared herself an interim president until early presidential elections are held within 90 days.

Since then, supporters of Morales have been demonstrating daily on the streets of the capital, La Paz, and other cities, calling for the departure of Agnès.

Yesterday, Agnès announced that it would reject a Senate bill aimed at pardoning Morales, who opened an investigation against him for "sedition and terrorism."

The transitional government has accused Morales of "sedition and terrorism" after inciting his supporters to close roads around the capital in a recording broadcast by the authorities.