UN to investigate alleged rights violations in Chile

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said Thursday she is sending a mission to probe alleged human rights violations in Chile.

For the past week, the South American country has been the scene of violent student protests that erupted because of a metro price hike.

"Having monitored the crisis in #Chile since it began, I have decided to send a verification mission to examine the allegations of #HumanRights violations," Bachelet said on Twitter. She is also a former president of Chile.

At least 15 people died, with most of the deaths caused during Sunday’s looting when shops set on fire.

In an address late Tuesday, President Sebastian Pinera apologized to citizens for a “lack of vision” to solve problems accumulating for decades and announced a new social and economic agenda.

The new agenda includes a 20% increase in pensions; an amendment to the Catastrophic Disease Insurance which the state will cover costs of expensive medical treatments; an increase to the minimum wage; a new higher tax bracket and a cut in electricity rates.

A 4% price hike in metro fares last week led protesters to jump over turnstiles without paying for tickets at metro stations in the capital of Santiago.

Half of Chile's workers make $550 or less monthly, according to the country's statistics authority.