Chile President Sebastian Pinera calls for ‘major agreement for democracy’
The President called on lawmakers to work on passing a series of reforms aimed at meeting protesters' demands, including raising the minimum wage.
The President called on lawmakers to work on passing a series of reforms aimed at meeting protesters' demands, including raising the minimum wage.
Pinera signed the enactment at the presidential palace in the company of socialist former president Ricardo Lagos, who 15 years ago introduced a number of significant constitutional reforms.
No police officers have been killed in the demonstrations but the human rights institute said some 1,600 officers have been wounded.
"Chile has changed and the government has to change too," to face the new reality in one of Latin America's most developed countries, he added.
"The march that all of us saw yesterday was a massive, joyous and peaceful march and one that opens great paths of the future and of hope. We have all heard the message," Pinera said.
Attacks on metro stations forced the closure of the entire subway system, which is the key form of public transport in the congested and polluted capital, carrying three million passengers a day.
Her comments came at the end of a three-day visit to the country on the invitation of embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has been facing allegations of cracking down on political opponents amid rampant hyper-inflation and shortages of basic goods.
