This archive report was first published on 6 November 2019.
Chile is in the grip of a deepening crisis as protests against high living costs continue to escalate.
President Sebastian Pinera has denied allegations that the government is hiding figures on the role of security forces in the protests, saying 'we have been totally transparent about the figures because we have nothing to hide.'
On Wednesday, protesters called on demonstrators to expand their rallies to rich districts, including the upmarket Vitacura district and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Clashes between protesters and police have turned parts of the capital Santiago into a battleground over recent nights, with riot cops firing shot pellets injuring two students on Tuesday.
A UN human rights mission is investigating allegations of police brutality during the unrest, while the Washington-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has asked Pinera's authorization to send a mission to Chile.
Chile's independent National Human Rights Institute has brought legal action over 181 cases, including alleged murders, sexual violence, and torture by the military police.
Pinera has reshuffled his government and announced a series of measures aimed at placating the protesters, including a law guaranteeing a minimum monthly wage of $467.
However, protesters have continued demanding that the right-wing billionaire president step down, with Pinera saying in a BBC interview that he would not resign over the protests.
