Protests in Chile Were Sparked By a Subway Fare Hike, But Come After "30 Years of a Social Crisis"

In Chile, a new set of mass protests took place Monday as President Sebastiin Pinera fulfilled the promise to appoint new members to his cabinet. As Pinera addressed the nation Monday, hundreds of protesters had already gathered outside the presidential palace in Santiago, waving flags, honking horns and demanding for Pinera's resignation. The reshuffling of his cabinet came after more than a million people flooded the streets last Friday in massive peaceful demonstrations over inequality, high cost of living and privatization. The protest drew more than 5% of Chile's population and followed days of widespread civil unrest and a violent police and military crackdown across Chile. At least 18 people have died, with more than 1,000 more protesters shot and wounded since the mobilizations erupted Oct. 19. We speak with Pablo Abufom, a member of the Solidarity Movement, an anti-capitalist and feminist organization in Chile. His recent article published in Jacobin magazine is titled "It's Not About 30 Pesos. It's About 30 Years."