Kast Government Reviews Pensions Granted to Victims of Social Unrest

Chile's government under President José Antonio Kast is scrutinizing "pensions of grace" previously awarded to individuals affected by the 2019 social unrest. The review, which commenced earlier in the administration, gained public attention following the arrest of a young man who had been receiving state benefits since 2019.

Local reports indicate the young man, who suffered a bullet wound during a 2019 protest in Ovalle, had been receiving approximately 450,000 pesos (about $510) monthly. He was reportedly impacted during a demonstration that led to a police captain's conviction for attempted homicide. The reasons for the withdrawal of his pension earlier this year remain unclear.

Subsecretary of the Interior Máximo Pavez stated that the review is a "minimal responsibility" concerning the special presidential grants. Kast, Chile's first far-right president since the return to democracy, has consistently characterized the 2019 protests as a "criminal outburst." He is also reportedly considering pardons for military and police personnel convicted for their actions during the demonstrations.

The 2019 protests, the most severe since the end of the dictatorship, involved widespread violence, looting, and destruction alongside large-scale peaceful marches. The unrest resulted in approximately 30 deaths and thousands injured, including over 450 individuals who sustained eye trauma. Human rights organizations, including the UN, have accused security forces of human rights violations during the period.