The protest, convened by the Coordinating Assembly of High School Students, advanced towards the former National Congress, where it was strongly repressed. Photo: EFE.
Secondary and university students in Chile spearheaded a massive mobilization in the capital, on March 26, to vehemently protest the right-wing policies of José Antonio Kast’s Government.
The demonstration was markedly characterized by police repression, who deployed water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesters in downtown Santiago, underscoring the escalating tension between the student movement and the far-right Government.
The demonstrators explicitly rejected a budget cut of nearly 3%, which disproportionately impacts crucial sectors such as education and health, alongside a drastic surge in fuel prices. They specifically highlighted an unprecedented 60% increase in diesel prices, warning that this will directly elevate the cost of living, making food, transportation, and other basic services more expensive for Chilean families.
Carabineros comienza a realizar encerronas en inmediaciones de Plaza Baquedano. (13:55) Marcha estudiantil pic.twitter.com/6E9ELgI1dB
— PIENSAPRENSA 360 mil Seguidores (@PiensaPrensa) March 26, 2026
Among the criticisms leveled against the Kast’s administration are measures such as the toughening of conditions for State-Guaranteed Loan (CAE) debtors and the gradual elimination of free education for students over 30 years old. The Coordinating Assembly of Secondary Students (ACES, in Spanish) asserted that these decisions represent a systematic assault on student and social rights, pushing an agenda that favors market logic over public access and equity.
Chilean Right-Wing Assumes Control of Both Legislative Chambers
Broader Social Demands
Furthermore, the Coordinating Assembly of Secondary Students situated these governmental measures within a broader far-right agenda, which includes restrictive migratory policies, significant setbacks in environmental protection, and a direct offensive against social movements throughout Chile.
“The student movement today holds the historical potential to reclaim the streets. Our struggle is not solely for the right to free, universal, secular, and non-sexist education, but also for the unrestricted defense of the environment, the right to legal and safe abortion, and dignified health for all”, they declared.
In this context, the organization issued a direct call to student federations, labor unions, and the Teachers’ College to abandon inaction and actively work towards constructing an effective mobilization plan. This unified front is deemed essential to confront what they perceive as “a systemic regression in social rights” under the current administration.
Text reads: “Massive student march, we were thousands in the streets! More than 30,000 saying loud and clear that we will not accept backsliding!”
The protests follow a series of recent announcements from José Antonio Kast’s government. Just last week, the Executive unveiled an agenda heavily emphasizing extractive policies and measures highly favorable to big business. This prior set of announcements had already sparked widespread demonstrations by various environmental organizations, signaling a growing discontent with the government’s economic and social direction.
These student protests therefore represent a significant escalation of social unrest and a broader challenge to the Kast Government’s policies, drawing attention to the profound implications for Chilean society.
(teleSUR)
