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By Staff Writers, teleSUR
teleSUR
Sunday, May 22, 2016
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| Demonstrators clash with riot police near Congress in Valparaiso as while Chilean President Michelle Bachelet delivers her annual message on May 21, 2016. | Photo: AFP |
A security guard died Saturday during protests in Chile as President Michelle Bachelet was delivering an annual address to country's Congress, officials said Saturday. Local prosecutors said the guard died as a result of a fire they said was "intentionally" set by protesters who clashed with police.
In a brief comment shared on Twitter, Bachelet expressed her condolences and condemned "the violence of those who do not respect democracy."
"Nothing can justify the actions we witnessed today and that led to the death of an innocent worker by these delinquents who hid in civic demonstrations," said Marcelo Diaz, the chief of Bachelet's cabinet.
The president delivers an annual report to the Chilean Congress — located in Valparaiso, the country's second largest city — and is simillar to the state-of-the-union delivered annually by the U.S. president.
The annual address typically attracts protests and this year protesters set up barricades and hurled homemade firebombs in clashes with police.
There have been increased tensions between the government, which was elected on a leftist platform, and demonstrators who say Bachelet is betraying her constituents.
During her address to Congress, the president indicated she would not deviate from her austerity agenda.
“As President I am fully aware of the economic responsibilities of the state,” said Bachelet during her address.
The Bachelet government has clashed with students and fishermen as of late, only coming to an agreement with the latter this week.
The government had ordered a prohibition on the extraction and consumption of marine species due to the red tide algal bloom, which causes the toxificaton of seafood, and left fishing communities without their main source of revenue.
Students say the government failed to follow through on its commitment to provide free higher education.
Ultimately only 120,000 to 130,000 students will benefit from the government's education plan, falling short of expectations.
The Education Minister had initially promised that about 250,000 students will be able to go to university for free in 2016, but it lowered the estimate by half because of cuts in public spending.
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