Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said on Tuesday he will not resign in the face of deadly protests over inequality and poor social conditions that have entered their third week.
Asked by the BBC in an interview whether he will step down, the billionaire conservative leader said: “No.”
“These problems have been accumulating for the past 30 years,” Mr. Pinera said. “I am responsible (for) part of it and I assume my responsiblity, but I’m not the only one.”
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Fresh clashes broke out on Tuesday, adding to the violence gripping one of Latin America’s most prosperous countries. It has forced the government to cancel two major international economic and climate summits and open talks with the leftist opposition.
Protesters are calling for constitutional reform.
Prosecutors say five of the 20 deaths recorded in the protests against high living costs were suspected to have been at the hands of security forces, an allegation Mr. Pinera denies.
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