Santiago de Chile, November 26 (RHC)-- Chilean President Sebastian Piñera has announced that, starting this week, new measures will be implemented to re-establish public order in Chile -- among them, a joint cooperation project between police forces from Chile, United Kingdom, Spain and France.
According to the president, the security forces from these three European countries will provide "advice" to Chile's Carabineros in order to "enrich the strategies and operating procedure, to improve the control mechanisms of public order, to give better protection to our compatriots."
Piñera also announced his intention to send Congress a draft bill that would allow the military to control public infrastructures without having to decree the state of emergency.
The Undersecretary of the Interior Rodrigo Ubilla explained that the collaboration will consist of sharing experience regarding the approach to "situations of high conflict and violence as has been seen in recent days." Ubilla added that this joint effort not only consists of exchanging experiences around violent demonstrations, such as those seen in recent days in Chile but also learning their protocols, tactics and strategies to "restore public order."
This comes at a time of grave crisis due to the continuing protests in Chile and accusations against the forces of law and order of that country for excessive violence and severe violation of human rights.
According to the National Institute of Human Rights (NHRI), in the last month, over 6,000 people were arrested and 2,400 injured, of them, at least 270 have been wounded in the eyes as a result of Carabineros shooting directly in the face in anti-government protests.
Since October 18th, Chile's police have violated the rights of at least 327 children and teenagers and caused severe injuries to them through rough physical hits, and the use of pellets and real ammunition.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) along with numerous other rights groups condemned the constant violations of human rights by police and military against the population in Chile.
