Trending 
Chilean students protesting feared education cuts by President Jose Antonio Kast have clashed with police in Santiago on Thursday.
Police used tear gas and water cannons to stop people from marching towards La Moneda presidential palace on Thursday. The students responded by throwing stones, sticks and bottles at security forces.
At least six people were arrested during the clashes. The protest followed Kast’s announcement on Wednesday of unspecified spending cuts in his 2027 budget bill. The full details of the draft budget were not immediately available.
However, thousands of students took to the streets to protest what they called “Pinochet’s education system”. The phrase refers to former military ruler Augusto Pinochet, whom Kast has expressed admiration for. Kast took office in March after campaigning on security measures and spending cuts. He has also backed economic policies modelled on Argentine President Javier Milei’s austerity programme.
However, Kast said in a television address on Wednesday that government spending could rise by 1.5 per cent next year. He also said free higher education would remain available to more than 600,000 students.
According to Kast, the government would focus spending on jobs and security. Chile’s unemployment rate currently stands at 9.5 per cent, a five-year high, according to the information provided. The government has also identified rising violent crime as a major concern.
Meanwhile, education remains a major source of public debate in Chile. The country has long faced protests over its education system and unequal access to quality schooling. The gap between public and private education has also become a symbol of wider inequality. Thursday’s clashes have now added to tensions over Kast’s first budget and his planned spending cuts.
