Blackouts and a lack of water cause protests in Santiago

SANTIAGO. Community and popular organizations started a strike yesterday in the sectors of La Yagüita de Pastor and Reparto Peralta in the southern part of the city of Santiago in protest to the increase in the blackouts and the lack of drinking water.

During the first hours of the protest there were strong confrontations with shots fired and rocks being thrown by demonstrators and police, which caused the suspension of the educational and commercial activities in both sectors.

The main streets of La Yagüita de Pastor were blocked by burning tires, rocks and other rubbish, interrupting the traffic of cars and other vehicles through the area.

The neighbors are complaining over the fact that at night they are facing difficulties to sleep since they cannot turn on their fans to cool off their rooms.

The president of the neighborhood board of La Yagüita de Pastor, Jonas Morel, said that Ede-Norte failed to comply with the agreement to not suspend electricity at night.

"This week the agreement has been violated several times with blackouts of 10 and 12 hours at night," he said.

A representative of Ede-Norte went to the sector of the protests where he met with community leaders to find solutions to the demands.