Chile: Social Uprising

On October 14, 2019 began in Chile a great social movement, where secondary and university students organized to massive evasion of the Santiago Subway train ticket. The main reason was the increase in amount, from 800 chilean pesos to 830 chilean pesos (equivalent to a final value of 1,30 dollars). Four days later the radicalization of the social movement occurred, thousands of people took to the streets to protest, to demand social changes in various fields: Pension System, Health System, Social Inequality, Quality Education, Water Privatization, Abuse and Corruption of large companies and politicians, among many others. The motto: "It's not for 30 pesos, it's for 30 years."

Then October 19, 2019, the president Sebastián Piñera, declared a "State of emergency", wich allowed the military to take charge of public order. Two days later, the president said: "We are at war against a powerful enemy". From this moment the repression in Chile to the social demonstrations was growing day by day.

In my experience, this social movement greatly influenced in my daily routine in many aspects. Within the positive aspects, I think it changed my way of thinking, the hope of a change and confidence in other people resurfaced in me. People, including me, during these days demonstrated a fellowship and solidarity that had not been seen for a long time. During this time of social uprising, people overtook the individualism imposed by the capitalist system. Also, within the positive, it allowed me to live instances of political discussion and reflection with family, friends, neighbors and strangers, which was very enriching. Like socially, We could see that it is possible to spend time and full afternoons to share and live in solidarity and sharing.

Within the negative aspects, all situations of abuse of power by the state, generated in me a lot of stress, grief and frustration. Seeing that many people suffered, seeing that many people the lost of their vision, rapes, torture and deaths, generated a lot of anger and grief in me. I was also very upset that the politicians and the president did not fully meet the social demands. All this was a sad and unpleasant surprise for me.

I hope that all social demands are solved and I hope that people who lost their eyes, families who lost family members, those who were raped and tortured receive a prompt response from the state. I hope that there will be a change, and that this is just beginning.