More than 670 people were arrested and some 50 people were injured in Santiago and other Chilean cities on Aug. 29 in massive protests against the economic policies of President Michelle Bachelet. The Unitary Workers Confederation (CUT), which organized the protest, charged that Bachelet was following economic policies inherited from the 1973-1990 military dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet Ugarte; the protesters also demanded the resignation of Finance Minister Andres Velasco. The police attacked marchers with tear gas and water cannons; the injured included two camera operators, National Literature prize-winning poet Raul Zurita and Senator Alejandro Navarro from Bachelet's own Socialist Party.

On Aug. 30 a small "pamphlet bomb" exploded behind the Channel 13 television studios in Santiago as Velasco was taping an interview there. No group took responsibility for the explosive, which caused no damage or injuries as it scattered leaflets calling for protests on Sept. 11, the 34th anniversary of Pinochet's bloody military coup. (La Jornada, Mexico, Aug. 30 from correspondent, Sept. 1 from AFP, Reuters, DPA)

From Weekly News Update on the Americas, Sept. 2

See our last post on Chile.