Chile has declared a state of emergency following riots that have engulfed the capital city of Santiago in recent days, Bloomberg reported.
Soldiers and military vehicles patrolled the streets Saturday to restore order as authorities assessed the damage from what has been described as the worst rioting in the city in decades.
More than 150 police officers have been hurt, 19 subway stations burned, and buses were set on fire and stores looted among the chaos which saw law enforcement unleash tear gas on the rioters.
“The aim is to ensure public order and the safety of public and private property,” Chilean President Sebastián Piñera told countrymen in a televised address, the Guardian reported. “There will be no room for violence in a country with the rule of law at its core.”
The protests come amid broader discontent over the rising cost of living and began after a decision by the government to raise subway fares by 30 pesos (about four cents).