They defend public education as criticism grows over a new school security law.

On Wednesday, thousands of students took to the streets of downtown Santiago to protest against far-right President Jose Antonio Kast.

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Under the slogan “Public Education Must Be Defended!”, the Confederation of Students of Chile (CONFECH), the organization representing the country’s leading universities, called on citizens to reject an austerity plan that severely undermines the right to education.

“We have a lot of uncertainty. The Kast administration says one thing and then another. We believe the second half of the year will be complicated. Free higher education was a right won through the mobilizations of 2006 and 2011, and we have to defend it,” said Angy Moran, one of CONFECH’s spokespersons.

“The cuts are not justified. Chile’s economic situation is not the same as Argentina’s. It has been demonstrated that cuts do not work. The economic crisis that existed before Javier Milei came to power has not been overcome; on the contrary, it has worsened,” she added.

Kast, who took office on March 11 with a promise to cut US$6 billion over 18 months and improve public finances, ordered an ambitious US$2 billion spending reduction plan affecting most government ministries. The Health Ministry is the hardest hit, with a US$486 million reduction, followed by the Education Ministry, which will face a $221 million cut.

On Monday, in his first address to Parliament, the far-right Chilean president said his austerity policy to revive economic growth would cause “pain,” but reiterated that social benefits and rights would not be affected and that the adjustments are intended to improve the efficiency of various public policies and programs.

Julieta Ramirez, a 13-year-old girl carrying a sign that read “Against Precariousness, Organization,” said the cuts are already being felt at her school, located on the outskirts of the capital.

“Instead of advancing civic education, we are moving backward. How are we going to confront the eco-social crisis and the poverty crisis if we are defunding education?” said Lucas Gonzalez, a 22-year-old university student.

The text reads, “Mass protests in Chile against the Kast administration follow a well-known script:
Act 1 – The right wing wins elections with a campaign of lies.
Act 2 – The right wing in power attacks citizens’ rights to help millionaires and transnational corporations.
Act 3 – People take to the streets to protest the criminal abuses of their government.
It doesn’t matter when you read this.
It doesn’t matter in which country you read this.”

The march, which was supported by organizations such as the Teachers’ Association, the Coordinating Assembly of Secondary Students (Aces) and the Feminist Coordinator 8M, proceeded peacefully. At the end, however, police forces assaulted the demonstrators.

“Only through coordinated action will we be able to confront Kast’s cuts,” said Laura Manzi, spokesperson for the Feminist Coordinator 8M.

During the protest, demonstrators also chanted against a controversial law promoted by the Kast administration to combat violence in schools. Approved by Parliament on Tuesday, the new law allows backpack inspections and includes a five-year ban on access to free university education for young people who commit crimes in schools.

“Education is the foundation of a country’s development,” said Mario Aguilar, president of the Teachers’ Association, who argued that the new law “does not address the causes of violence in schools and is discriminatory” because it punishes lower-income students more harshly, particularly those who need government assistance to attend university.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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