President Piñera's announcement last night of a so-called "social agenda", his proposed series of solutions to the current crisis, does not translate into any changes or concessions. Nor do they put even the slightest dent on the current system of social and economic exploitation in Chile.

The president, the government, and the powerful economic interests they represent and defend seem not to realize that the large, mobilized crowds are sick of this exploitative model. It is a model of subjugation and enslavement, which for decades has plundered the population (and, indeed, nature). Piñera's statements are nothing more than cheap, pat answers. A veritable insult to the millions of distressed Chileans who mobilized specifically because they demand profound, real solutions, and the right to participate in the definition and content of those solutions.

«Is not 30 pesos, it’s 30 years»

The proposals from Piñera, following meetings held behind closed doors with leaders of some of the parliamentary political parties, are once again, more of the same. A new mockery, a new abuse, expressed in the voice of a confessional but with the arrogance of the pulpit, invoking God as a saving grace. Mister Piñera still fails to realize that this oasis, as he once described the situation in Chile, was nothing but a mirage. His mirage.

But it's worse than that: the head of state and his government all know that their measures will do nothing to resolve the current crisis, and that they will not placate this major social mobilization. This is why he is unwilling, under any circumstances, to lift the current state of exception, curfew, and other such restrictions carried out in the militarization of the country. In other words, the government knows it needs to keep on suppressing and intimidating this social rebellion.

Simply put, the government didn't exactly rack their brains to find out how best to protect and safeguard all of the privileges enjoyed by the handful of families who own this nation. The government's solution is still to oppress and suppress. This announcement of solutions is nothing more than a distraction to play for time. The government is counting on the physical exhaustion of the protest movement, as well as potential divisions and fracturing of the collective support of a mobilized society. The chosen method of delivery was a simplistic speech appealing to concerns about the extremely poor, health of the elderly, and offering an increase in the minimum wage not paid by businessmen but by all Chileans. Not even a dent on the large economic alliances and, indeed, owners of the Chilean economy. Not even a dent on the socioeconomic model. On the contrary, the so-called solutions from Piñera will mean greater revenues to those same powerful businessmen in the private healthcare and pharmaceutical industries and (unsurprisingly) for private pension companies that manage to grow even during crises.

It's even simpler. The geniuses in the ministries of finance, economy, and in the presidential offices of La Moneda came up with "solutions" aimed at playing on the sensitivity of the electorate. They know their support may slip away due to the disturbances, culminating in losing votes in upcoming elections. Those in the presidential palace also realized that the great mobilized masses are made up of the younger segment of the public, who don't participate in the electoral process. Thus, they feel no need to be concerned with those sectors of the population, even if they constitute its vast majority.

They think it's enough to forcibly suppress them, beat them until they finally submit. Once more, the arrogance of power shines in all its splendor.

The truth is that the president's statements received a strong response: the largest "cacerolazo" since the beginning of the current demonstrations. This, despite worsening levels of repression from military and police forces, every day growing more violent and irrational, as we have come to expect.

Piñera uttered not a word about the problems in public education such as the extremely dilapidated condition of public education buildings, despite the fact all of this began with demonstrations from secondary school students in Santiago. Not a word about public healthcare and the horrible conditions in public hospitals and community health centres, such as the lack of supplies, necessities and personnel to fulfill the needs of those using the public healthcare system. Not a word of resolution to the theft of pensioner's funds, the theft of funds from actual workers who were saving up, and who in a few years will suffer what their parents or grandparents are now enduring. Not a word to end an exploitative system of expensive charges for basic services in water, electricity, gas, phones and transportation (let's not even bring up the cost of a basic family shopping basket). Not a word on the abusive hikes in the price of fuel, tickets and tolls. Not a word about the working conditions of exploited workers who are underemployed, temping, on short-term contracts or working for "multi-rut" businesses which restructured into multiple corporate entities to save on labour costs. Nor for all other such laws and traps designed specifically by the powerful and their subservient politicians to legalize the abuses of their model of wealth accumulation. None of it is to be touched.

Neither should any mention be made of the core issue of large-scale robberies, undertaken by the great business groups on the nation's wealth. Not a word about getting rid of this retrograde constitution, to open the way for a system that centers citizens' participation and democracy (as we said above, the ruling political class is only concerned with those who vote). Not a word about taking back national waters and other resources, such as mines. Nothing that affects the over-exploitation or ends the destruction of maritime resources undertaken by large fishing conglomerates. No measures to stop the environmental and territorial plunder from the large logging conglomerates. Not a word on stopping the destruction of wetlands and urban pollution caused by real-estate consortiums. Not a word about putting a stop to the lessening quality of life for those living in areas affected by pollution from these destructive companies and industries. Nothing at all.

Piñera and his government, the political class, and the businessmen who own this country, seem to be uninterested in understanding that the populace is tired, angry, and that their outrage resulted in rebellion. Like the street signs say, they aren't just protesting against a 30 pesos hike in metro fares, but against 30 years of abuse. Chile has changed, whether those in power like it or not.

Resumen.

Translated by  A.B. Silvera