Seven Dead in Chile after Protesters Loot Supermarkets

Chile president extends the state of emergency as at least 7 people killed as some protesters looted and set fire to stores in a burst of violence following a four percent increase in subway fares.
Authorities said 10,500 soldiers and police officers were patrolling the streets in Santiago as state of emergency and curfew remained in effect for six Chilean cities, but protests continued during the day. The death toll may rises.
Officials in the Santiago region said the victims had been found in the basement of a burned warehouse. It followed the deaths of three people in fires at two looted supermarkets earlier on Sunday.
Riots and looting continued during Sunday night. Buses were burnt out and subway stations, office buildings, and shops were vandalised. At least two airlines also cancelled or rescheduled flights into the capital.
President Sebastian Pinera, facing the worst crisis of his second term as head of the South American country, announced on Saturday night that he was cancelling a subway fare rise imposed two weeks ago.

Interior Minister Andres Chadwick reported that 62 police officers and 11 civilians were injured in the latest disturbances and prosecutors said nearly 1,500 people had been arrested.
He said late on Sunday that there had been more than 70 “serious events” during the day, including more than 40 incidents of looting.
After meeting with the heads of the legislature and judicial system, Mr. Pinera said they discussed solutions to the current crisis and that he aims “to reduce excessive inequalities, inequities, abuses, that persist in our society”.
Jaime Quintana, president of the Senate, said that “the political world must take responsibility for how we have come to this situation”.
>Juthy Saha