Chilean president Sebastian Piñera announced a state of emergency in two provinces of the country this Friday, following student-led protests which have paralysed the metro system in the capital Santiago.

Chilean president Sebastian Piñera announced a state of emergency in two provinces of the country this Friday, following student-led protests which have paralysed the metro system in the capital Santiago.

The protests began when secondary school students began to jump entry barriers to the metro following a fare rise on 6 October, which put Santiago’s metro among the most expensive in Latin America at 830 pesos (US$1.17) during peak travel times. Bus prices also climbed as part of the changes. The minimum wage in Chile is 301,000 pesos per month ($421).

Watch a video of the students here.

The protests have grown and are now seen to represent opposition to a number of social injustices present in Chile today such as government corruption and the high cost of living. Friday evening saw the widespread banging of pots and pans on balconies, a traditional protest in Latin America known as a cacerolazo.

The government’s response to the protests has been increasingly repressive. Train carriages on the metro that included children have been tear gassed and videos circulated widely on social media yesterday showed the police shooting at protestors.

Watch videos here and here.

The state of emergency is mandated by Chile’s constitution, which was created under the 17 year-long US-supported dictatorship of August Pinochet (1973-1990). During this time hundreds of thousands of people were murdered or disappeared, tortured and forced into exile. The president’s brother was a minister for Labour under Pinochet although Sebastián Piñera claims he voted against the dictatorship continuing in a 1988 plebiscite. The state of emergency will be in place in the provinces of Santiago and Chacabuco for the next 15 days, with a possible extension. It grants the government additional powers to restrict citizens’ freedom of movement and their right to assembly. So far there have been a reported 180 people arrested, with numerous injured by bullets fired by Chile’s security services. The military are now patrolling the streets in scenes reminiscent of Chile’s dark past.