Chilean Upper House Agrees To Amend Bill Against Barricades During Protests - Reports

BUENOS AIRES (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th December, 2019) The Chilean parliament upper house's security commission has agreed to make changes to the bill against setting up barricades during protests, local 24 Horas tv channel reported on Monday.

In early November, President Sebastian Pinera announced a number of measures against civil unrest, including bills to strengthen punishment for stealing and installing barricades that inhibit traffic. However, the current bill, approved by the lower house, has been panned nationwide for giving three-to-five-year prison sentences for throwing rocks and building barricades.

The parliamentarians have acknowledged such a measure to be excessive.

Chile has been mired in public unrest since the authorities increased subway fares on October 6. What started as peaceful public demonstrations soon grew into violent rallies, and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement.

In November, the government and the opposition agreed to hold a constitutional referendum in April 2020.

The current constitution was adopted in the latter half of the 20th century during the rule of Augusto Pinochet and does not guarantee due access to education and healthcare.