Chile: Police Strikes for Benefits, Gov't Threatens Sanctions

The National Police Association of Chile (ANFUP) called for a national action against the government, Wednesday. ANFUP is calling for job improvement, incentives for early retirement and the restitution of provisional rights.

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“Because of the indolence of the executive and the constant threats, starting today we call for a hunger strike at the penitentiary,” Marcos Agusto, the spokesman for ANFUP, stated. The official added that if there is no immediate response, the government should prepare for an extension of the hunger strike to new localities in Chile.

In response, the government threatened to impose fines on officials who take part in the hunger strike. “All the measures which we have to enforce to comply with, not only the law, but with whatever the comptroller’s office dispositions of illegal strikes,” Juan Jose Ossa announced, on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

The national strike, which started on Monday, has the support of 98 percent of five police associations composed of approximately 20,000 workers.

The hunger strike comes at a time when a 500 person-strong protest, led by retirees and supporters, is demanding a pension system that “allows at the end of active life, to have a dignified old age, an issue that today in Chile does not happen," according to Carolina Espinoza, a representative of the movement which is marked by a series of protests aimed at the policies of Chilean conservative President Sebastian Piñera.