Protests cause huge losses to businesses in Chile

(31 Oct 2019) Businesses have taken a beating during Chile's weeks-long protests.

On Monday morning street vendors were out trying to make a living as best they could, selling to anyone brave enough to venture into downtown Santiago, the scene of massive protests against the government of President Sebastian Pinera.

"The selling has dropped a lot, people are afraid, walking fast", said Jose Uribe seated next to his merchandise with graffiti behind him as a reminder of the violence wrought in this area.

"I do what I can, I'm in favour of what the people are asking for."

A proposed hike in subway fares this month set off the 14 days of protests that morphed into a call for deep-rooted changes.

While most demonstrators were peaceful, groups of youths protesting alongside them launched attacks on businesses and infrastructure.

Clashes with police and soldiers and arson of business premises left 20 people dead and hundreds injured.

"I have to work with tear gas bombs, water cannon trucks, people looting near here", said Paola Gonzalez, tending to a customer at her street stall on the first relatively calm day in almost two weeks.  

"It has been very hard to work here."

Santiago's metro system has said it suffered 380 million US dollars in damages, while an association of major supermarkets said its members had suffered 1.3 billion US dollars in damages from looting, and lost sales.

There were hundreds of millions of dollars more in damages to small and medium-sized businesses, and the government said Thursday that it was weighing tax relief and other measures to help them.

Some observers say disenchantment at the violence among ordinary Chileans has caused many to stop attending the protests.



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