Protests in Chile Against Trans-Pacific Deal

Activists in Chile protested the renewed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal, which was signed by 11 countries in the capital of the South American country Thursday.

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Protesters gathered outside the Defense Ministry and La Moneda Palace, the headquarters of the Chilean government, holding many different banners and placards.

"This is like a gateway for Monsanto in all its magnitude, for hydroelectric, to extract everything they want to extract. There will also be problems with medications as there will be no generic medications, therefore poor people will be much poorer and sicker," said Patricia Dedos Verdes, a protester.

The deal was signed by Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

The United States, under the presidency of President Donald Trump, pulled out of the trade deal last year, just three days after his inauguration.

Despite the signing, activists vow to continue protesting against it.

“We are going to continue fighting because it still must be approved after the vote,” said activist Patricia Nuñez, who added that protests also took place in other cities nationwide and that they had sent hundreds of letters to Chilean deputies.