As protests have turned to civil insurrection in the South American Republic of Chile, the relatively new Bitcoin space in the nation has been rising to meet the occasion.
Making headlines in October 2019 with a fare-dodging campaign[1] in the country’s capital, Santiago, dissatisfaction with the country’s government quickly escalated to involve the widespread barricading of streets and frequent clashes between the police and protesters. At the latest count, 27 people[2] have died in these confrontations between citizens and the government. The Chilean president, Sebastián Piñera, has announced[3] that he will capitulate to one of the protesters’ key demands: agreeing to hold a referendum on a brand new constitution.
A Country Under Protest
ONG Bitcoin Chile[4] is a nonprofit organization dedicated to education and advocacy for the decentralized technology in the country, and Bitcoin Magazine spoke with its vice president, Jazmin Jorquera, about the situation on the ground.
“The final spark was the public transportation tariff increase, 30 chilean pesos (less than a 4 percent increase, to give you an idea),” Jorquera explained. “This hike was the straw that broke the camel’s back, a final act of arrogance after months of economic turmoil and the government’s overt contempt for demands for change.”
The increase in fares, coupled with government statements betraying ignorance over the daily costs incurred by many Chileans, has led to a climate in which citizens do not feel confident in their financial futures.
“The problem was that during the last months, many of the ministers of the actual government gave completely arrogant and irreverent statements, such as: ‘Get up earlier’ or ‘the flowers are cheap,’ in reference to the price increase in consumer goods,” Jorquera said.
Additionally, she claimed that “during the last
