Despite the government promises of constitutional reforms, clashes resumed early Saturday between Chilean police and protesters in the capital Santiago.
The Chilean police have fired water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesters who demanded a new constitution that allows the privatization of the country's social services and natural resources, Russia Today reported.
These clashes erupted hours after the government in Chile announced it would hold a referendum next year to change the country's constitution.
Demonstrations in Chile started several weeks ago to protest the economic situation in the country, after the announcement of a 3.75% increase in metro fees.
Earlier, police in Chile detained a large number of the demonstrators. Districts in the Chilean capital of Santiago have been turned into battlefields due to the clashes between protesters and police in recent days.
Thousands of protesters took part in new protests in Chile despite the replacement of eight key ministers by President Sebastián Piñera and his attempts to assure the country that he heard calls for greater equality and improved social services.
The new protests led to clashes between protesters and security forces. Chilean protests have reached the wealthy neighborhoods of Santiago.
The anger, that have since expanded and turned into violent demonstrations and looting, erupted after the announcement of a 3.75 percent increase in fees for the Santiago metro tickets .
The clashes have killed many people in the worst violence since Chile’s return to democracy after the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet between 1973 and 1990
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