Chile: Reasons to Protest Again · Global Voices
Elizabeth Rivera

[All links in Spanish unless otherwise indicated]
On April 25, 2012, students took over the streets of Chile to protest for a free, inclusive and good quality education after several months of “silence” and days after President Piñera presented the reform for high education financial aid.
The reform proposes that the universities themselves – not the banks – finance general student loans and also ask them to cover the gap between reference and real tuition and lower the grades required for scholarships applications for low income students
With the following video the leaders of private and public universities federations invited people to protest and launched the Twitter hashtag #yomarchoel25 (I protest on the 25)
The famous student leader Camila Vallejo (@camila_vallejo) explained:
Porq no queremos cambiar deuda x deuda, porq necesitamos erradicar el lucro y recuperar la educación pública #YoMarchoel25
Because we don't want to exchange debt with debt, because we need to abolish profit and regain public education #YoMarchoel25
The student leader, Giorgio Jackson (@GiorgioJackson) was optimistic:
Ojalá mañana seamos varios miles los activistas del pacifismo… ¿Quién marcha mañana?#yomarchoel25
Hopefully tomorrow we will be thousands of peace activists… Who is protesting tomorrow? #yomarchoel25
Architecture student Pablo (@cut_copy_) shared this background information:
#yomarchoel25 porque según la UNESCO, el sistema educativo de Chile fomenta la DESIGUALDAD@javier_alatorrehttp://portal.unesco.org/geography/es/ev.php-URL_ID=15019&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html#yoapoyoalosestudiantes
#yomarchoel25 because according to the UNESCO, the education system in Chile fosters INEQUALITY http://portal.unesco.org/geography/es/ev.php- URL_ID=15019&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html#yoapoyoalosestudiantes
Matías Goyenechea (@mgoyenechea) took the opportunity to talk about the changes he wants to see in the health system as well:
Porque en Chile requerimos cambios estructurales:#yomarchoel25 por la educación, voto en el#PlebiscitoSalud
Because in Chile we need structural changes: #yomarchoel25 for the education, I vote in the #PlebiscitoSalud (health plebiscite)
Gabriel Boric (@gabrielboric), President of the Student Federation of the University of Chile (FECh), summarized:
Porque queremos que en Chile, la calidad de tu educación no dependa de la plata en tu bolsillo,#YoMarchoEl25
Because in Chile we wish the quality of your education didn't depend on the money on your pocket, #YoMarchoEl25
STUDENT MOVEMENT SPECIAL 2011. Picture by Flickr user Museo de Arte Callejero (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) taken on September 25, 2011
From Talca, @Nadapablo gave some advice:
Conoce tus derechos en caso de detenciónhttp://www.codepu.cl/documentos/cartilla.pdf(vía CODEPU) #YoMarchoel25#Yoapoyoalosestudiantes
Get to know your rights in case you are arrested: http://www.codepu.cl/documentos/cartilla.pdf(vía CODEPU) #YoMarchoel25 #Yoapoyoalosestudiantes
The music group Illapu (@Illapu) sheered up:
Vaaaaamos compañeros hay q ponerle un poco + de empeño salimos a la calle nuevamente la educ chilena no se vende se defiende #yomarchoel25
Goooooooooo companions we need to put in a little bit more energy and go out to the streets again, Chilean education is not for sale, it is to be defended #yomarchoel25
Netizens also commented why they support the students using the hashtag #yoapoyoalosestudiantes (I support the students)
The Difamadores account (@difamadores) stated:
#yomarchoel25 Por que basta de aspirinas, hay que hacer cambios profundos al sistema educacional chileno. #yoapoyoalosestudiantes
#yomarchoel25 because we had enough aspirins, we need profound changes to the Chilean education system. #yoapoyoalosestudiantes
Paloma (@myta_colombe) criticized the solutions presented by the government up until now:
Porque no queremos “soluciones” parche y queremos educación de calidad, gratuita y laica #yoapoyoalosestudiantes
Because we don't want patch “solutions” and we desire good quality education, free and secular #yoapoyoalosestudiantes
Twitter user Jessica Tabilo (@JessicaTabilo) said:
Por el derecho de todas las familias a dar a sus hijos una EDUCACION de calidad #yoapoyoalosestudiantes,ahora y siempre!todos a marchar hoy!
For the right every family has to give their children quality EDUCATION #yoapoyoalosestudiantes now and always! Everybody to protest today!
Luis Emilio (@DiazLuisEmiLio), who recently graduated, concluded:
Sólo en la calle se consiguen grandes transformaciones sociales #yomarchoel25
Only on the streets are great social transformations achieved #yomarchoel25