By Paula Buzzi
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America
SANTIAGO, Chile — Chilean President Sebastian Pinera and Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter signed a legislative proposal on Sunday that could potentially put a halt to the student and teacher led protests that have paralyzed high schools and universities around the country for over five months.
The legislation seeks to reform article 269 of the Penal Code by criminalizing illegal occupation or invasion of buildings and increasing penalties for public disorder, including the mistreatment of policemen, from 541 days to three years in jail. If approved, the new law will also force television channels to release tape used to record the protests so that authorities can identify and sanction individual protestors.
According to the Chilean government, students protests have incited violence, theft and have caused mass amounts of damage to property. “He that seeks to undermine peace and stability of the people, or damages public or private property will find this a tough legislation,” Pinera warned.
Student leaders, however, remain undeterred and have called for the continuation of street and campus protests this week after failed negotiations with the Chilean government over education reform on Wednesday.
Students are urging the government to increase taxes on the wealthy and fund free and high quality education for all but Pinera remains that “Nothing is free in life,” and that only the very poor will receive federal grants. After the United States, Chile ranks second in most expensive college tuitions in the Western Hemisphere.
Behind the student movement is Camila Vallejo, a 23-year-old geography student who has become an international celebrity with twice as many twitter followers as Pinera. Her quick notoriety on twitter has enabled her to direct the protests, rally student groups and even cast doubt on some of Pinera’s statements through twitter messages.
In response to Pinera’s claim that his 7 percent increase in education funding for 2012 was the biggest in Chilean history, Vallejo tweeted “How can this be an extraordinary effort if in 2011 it increased 13 percent, in 2009 15 percent and in 2008 24 percent?”
Vallejo told Associated Press on Wednesday that she is exhausted and would like to step down for a bit but feels obligated to stay and continue leading the fight. She believes that Pinera’s recent threat to criminalize the student protests shows that he wants to sabotage talks just as they begin.
Student leaders will take a vote on October 8 to decide whether to continue negotiation talks with the Chilean government.
For further information, please see:
Business Week – Chilean Students Prepare March After Government Talks Break Down– 06 October 2011
Associated Press – Pressure Grows As Chile Student Leader Opens Talks – 05 October 2011
Huffington Post – Chile Education Protests: Talks With Government Break Off – 05 October 2011
Latin News – Pinera Tries to Play Hardball – 03 October 2011
Santiago Times – Chilean Government to Criminalize School Seizures – 03 October 2011
