Violent Clashes Between Protesters, Security Forces in Chile

Violent clashes erupted between the protesters and the security forces in central Santiago a few hours after Chilean President Sebastián Piñera unveiled a major cabinet reshuffle on Monday.

The clashes broke out at the presidential palace and the "Piazza Italia", which has become a center of protest since the social protest movement began.

Local media reported that the clashes broke out in Valparaiso and Concepción, while  the Chilean president announced  a cabinet reshuffle, replacing ministers of Interior, Economy and Finance, in an attempt to calm the angry protesters.

The Chilean president declared on Sunday that the state of emergency which has lasted more than a week will be lifted at midnight.

Last week, authorities imposed a state of emergency and curfews last week after Chile experienced its worst civil unrest in decades as more than a million people took to the streets to demand economic and political reforms.

The anger,  that have since expanded and turned into violent demonstrations and looting, erupted after the announcement of 3.75 percent increase in fees for the Santiago metro tickets .

The clashes have killed at least 19 people in the worst violence since Chile's return to democracy after the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet between 1973 and 1990.