Post by RedFlag32 on Aug 30, 2007 20:31:23 GMT
CHILE, 400 ARRESTED
WITH COMMENTARY BY DANIEL del SOLAR
A senator is among dozens injured in scuffles with police.
From THE LOS ANGELES Times Wire Services
August 30, 2007
SANTIAGO, CHILE -- Chilean police using tear gas and water cannons arrested
more than 400 (NOW REPORTED TO BE 600 ON THE DAY AFTER THE EVENTS) people
among (HUNDREDS OF) thousands of protesters marching Wednesday in the
capital (AND THROUGHOUT THE NATION) to demand better salaries and working
conditions at a time when the economy is booming (FOR SOME).
Dozens of people(MOSTLY STUDENTS AND), including journalists and a senator,
were injured in scuffles with the police, who blocked off the city center.
Some police officers also were injured. (DOZENS INJURED, 400 ARRESTED)
(HUNDREDS OF)Thousands of workers from the nation's largest labor federation
marched to pressure the government to change laws and improve pay to give
workers a portion of the soaring profits Chile's (MOSTLY FOREIGN OWNED)
industries have enjoyed in recent years. AS A RESULT OF BEING OWNED BY
TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS, MOST OF THE PROFITS ARE LEAVING CHILE AND WAGES
CONTINUE TO SO LOW THAT MANY CHILEANS, THE NEOLIBERAL ECONOMIC MODEL IN
LATIN AMERICA, FIND THEMSELVES BEING SQUEEZED BY RISING PRICES FOR BASIC
NESECITIES...BREAD HAS INCREASED IN PRICE BY 50% IN RECENT MONTHS AND
PROMISES TO DOUBLE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.)
Local television showed Sen. Alejandro Navarro of the ruling coalition with
blood running from a head wound after a riot officer struck him with a
truncheon.
Deputy Interior Minister Felipe Harboe said the incident would be
investigated.
The center-left government has maintained a largely free-market economic
model, which includes free-trade agreements with the United States and other
countries.
Protest organizers called for higher pensions and better education (MORE
SPENDING ON EDUCATION, A SOCIAL GOAL THAT HAS BEEN PROMOTED BY STUDENT
DEMONSTRATIONS SINCE THE ASSUMPTION OF POWER BY PRESIDENT BACHELET,
healthcare and housing services.
Chile, the biggest copper producer in the world, has benefited (VERY
SLIGHTLY) from high prices for the metal (AS 75% OF THE COPPER INDUSTRY HAS
BEEN HANDED TO FOREIGN CORPORATIONS. The central bank has forecast economic
growth of about 6% for this year(OVERALL, BUT LITTLE OF THIS GROWTH IS
LIKELY TO BENEFIT THE MAJORITY OF CHILE'S WORKERS)
The nation is considered an economic model in Latin America and has one of
the lowest poverty levels in the region (DEPENDS ON WHO IS COUNTING, but
President Michelle Bachelet's government, FORCED TO USE THE DICTATORSHIP'S
CONSTITUTION IN PLACE FOR MANY YEARS AND EXTREMELY HOSTILE TO BENEFITING THE
WORKING POOR) has faced frequent protests from students and workers who want
to share in the prosperity.
Last week, Bachelet formed a council to propose measures to boost
employment, income, competition and social equality. (THE COMMISSION WHOSE
COMPOSITION REFLECTS THE RANGE OF POLITICAL THOUGHT CURRENTLY ALLOWED, WILL
MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.)
WITH COMMENTARY BY DANIEL del SOLAR
A senator is among dozens injured in scuffles with police.
From THE LOS ANGELES Times Wire Services
August 30, 2007
SANTIAGO, CHILE -- Chilean police using tear gas and water cannons arrested
more than 400 (NOW REPORTED TO BE 600 ON THE DAY AFTER THE EVENTS) people
among (HUNDREDS OF) thousands of protesters marching Wednesday in the
capital (AND THROUGHOUT THE NATION) to demand better salaries and working
conditions at a time when the economy is booming (FOR SOME).
Dozens of people(MOSTLY STUDENTS AND), including journalists and a senator,
were injured in scuffles with the police, who blocked off the city center.
Some police officers also were injured. (DOZENS INJURED, 400 ARRESTED)
(HUNDREDS OF)Thousands of workers from the nation's largest labor federation
marched to pressure the government to change laws and improve pay to give
workers a portion of the soaring profits Chile's (MOSTLY FOREIGN OWNED)
industries have enjoyed in recent years. AS A RESULT OF BEING OWNED BY
TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS, MOST OF THE PROFITS ARE LEAVING CHILE AND WAGES
CONTINUE TO SO LOW THAT MANY CHILEANS, THE NEOLIBERAL ECONOMIC MODEL IN
LATIN AMERICA, FIND THEMSELVES BEING SQUEEZED BY RISING PRICES FOR BASIC
NESECITIES...BREAD HAS INCREASED IN PRICE BY 50% IN RECENT MONTHS AND
PROMISES TO DOUBLE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.)
Local television showed Sen. Alejandro Navarro of the ruling coalition with
blood running from a head wound after a riot officer struck him with a
truncheon.
Deputy Interior Minister Felipe Harboe said the incident would be
investigated.
The center-left government has maintained a largely free-market economic
model, which includes free-trade agreements with the United States and other
countries.
Protest organizers called for higher pensions and better education (MORE
SPENDING ON EDUCATION, A SOCIAL GOAL THAT HAS BEEN PROMOTED BY STUDENT
DEMONSTRATIONS SINCE THE ASSUMPTION OF POWER BY PRESIDENT BACHELET,
healthcare and housing services.
Chile, the biggest copper producer in the world, has benefited (VERY
SLIGHTLY) from high prices for the metal (AS 75% OF THE COPPER INDUSTRY HAS
BEEN HANDED TO FOREIGN CORPORATIONS. The central bank has forecast economic
growth of about 6% for this year(OVERALL, BUT LITTLE OF THIS GROWTH IS
LIKELY TO BENEFIT THE MAJORITY OF CHILE'S WORKERS)
The nation is considered an economic model in Latin America and has one of
the lowest poverty levels in the region (DEPENDS ON WHO IS COUNTING, but
President Michelle Bachelet's government, FORCED TO USE THE DICTATORSHIP'S
CONSTITUTION IN PLACE FOR MANY YEARS AND EXTREMELY HOSTILE TO BENEFITING THE
WORKING POOR) has faced frequent protests from students and workers who want
to share in the prosperity.
Last week, Bachelet formed a council to propose measures to boost
employment, income, competition and social equality. (THE COMMISSION WHOSE
COMPOSITION REFLECTS THE RANGE OF POLITICAL THOUGHT CURRENTLY ALLOWED, WILL
MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.)