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The riots in Chile were originally sparked by metro fare hikes

Irish witness to history - 2019 Chilean protests

When students began jumping subway barriers in Santiago in protest at metro fare hikes last October, nobody expected it would lead ultimately to an overhaul of the Chilean constitution.

2019 in Review • 27 Dec 19

Controllers lost contact with the plane around an hour after it took off (file image)

Chilean cargo plane goes missing en route to Antartica

Chile's Air Force has said one of its cargo planes had crashed with 38 people on board after going missing in an isolated area between South America and the Antarctic, with the chance of finding survivors looking "difficult".

World • 10 Dec 19

The unrest has led to around 2,000 injuries in Chile

23 dead as violent unrest in Chile enters fifth week

The death toll from demonstrations that have turned violent in Chile has risen to 23, as the country enters its fifth week of social unrest.

World • 23 Nov 19

Amnesty said Chilean security forces used unnecessary and excessive force

Chile's police may have violated protocols - Pinera

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has said that police may have broken protocols in responding to a month of protests, and prosecutors will investigate whether they violated human rights.

World • 22 Nov 19

There have been accusations of police brutality during protests in Chile

Chile president condemns police abuses during protests

Chile's President Sebastian Pinera condemned for the first time what he called abuses committed by police in dealing with four weeks of violent unrest that have rocked the country.

World • 18 Nov 19

Police in Santiago were dispersing protesters when the quake hit

Strong 6.0 earthquake strikes Chile amid demonstrations

A strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake has shaken Chile, rattling buildings in the capital while a big anti-government demonstration was under way.

World • 04 Nov 19

Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, made the offer to host following Chile's withdrawal

Spain to host COP25 climate talks after Chile withdraws

Spain will host the COP25 climate summit in December, the UN said, after Chile abandoned plans to hold it due to deadly anti-government protests.

World • 01 Nov 19

The government's decision to increase metro prices brought hundreds of thousands on to the streets of Chile

Chile withdraws from hosting summits after protests

Chile has withdrawn as host of the APEC trade summit in November and the COP25 climate summit in December after several weeks of violent unrest.

World • 30 Oct 19

The announcement of a cabinet reshuffle came amid fresh protests outside the presidential palace in central Santiago

Protesters and security forces clash in Chilean capital

Chilean protesters have clashed with security forces, several hours after embattled President Sebastian Pinera announced a cabinet reshuffle in his latest bid to end ten days of street demonstrations.

World • 28 Oct 19

Protesters called for the resignation of Chilean President Sebastian Pinera

One million Chileans hold peaceful protest in Santiago

As many as a million Chileans protested peacefully in Santiago yesterday evening, in the biggest rallies yet since violence broke out a week ago over entrenched inequality in the South American nation.

World • 26 Oct 19

The protests highlighted Chile's social and economic woes

Pinera announces social measures to stem Chile violence

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has announced a package of social measures aimed at stemming days of protests over economic inequality that have swept the country and claimed 15 lives.

World • 23 Oct 19

The protests have spread from the capital Santiago to regional cities, such as here in Valparaiso

Death toll from Chile unrest rises to 11, says official

Five people died yesterday when a garment factory was set alight by looters near Chile's capital Santiago, bringing the death toll in a wave of unrest to seven as authorities expanded a state of emergency.

World • 24 Oct 19

Soldiers were deployed in the streets for the first time since Chile returned to democracy in 1990

Three dead in Chile protest violence

Three people died in a fire in a supermarket being ransacked in the Chilean capital early today, as protests sparked by anger over social and economic conditions rocked one of Latin America's most stable countries.

World • 20 Oct 19

Orange alert as Volcano rumbles in southern Chile

Rumbling at Villarrica, one of South America's most active volcanoes, has been worrying residents and prompted authorities to declare an orange alert this week.

News Lens • 13 Sep 19

Footprint was found close to a house (file image)

Footprint found in Chile is 'oldest' in Americas

Scientists in Chile say they have found a footprint dating from at least 15,600 years ago, making it the earliest such sign of man's presence in the Americas.

Science • 28 Apr 19

Ricardo Ezzati faces multiple charges of covering up abuse

Pope accepts resignation of cardinal over abuse charges

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, the archbishop of Santiago and the highest ranking member of the Catholic Church in Chile, who has been caught up in the country's sex abuse scandal.

World • 23 Mar 19

Cardinal George Pell faces charges related to sexual abuse in Australia

Pope removes two cardinals from group of close advisers

Pope Francis has removed two cardinals who have been hit by scandals from his group of close advisers, the Vatican said.

World • 13 Dec 18

Defrocking, officially called "reduced to the lay state", means they have been expelled from the priesthood

Pope defrocks two Chilean bishops over sex abuse crisis

Pope Francis has defrocked two retired Chilean bishops who have been caught up in the country's widening sexual abuse crisis.

World • 13 Oct 18

Pope defrocks priest at centre of Chile abuse crisis

Pope Francis has defrocked the 88-year-old priest at the centre of the vast sexual abuse crisis in Chile, the Vatican has said.

Chile • 28 Sep 18

Last week Chilean prosecutors and police raided the offices of four Catholic dioceses

Pope accepts resignation of two more Chilean bishops

Pope Francis has accepted the resignations of two more bishops from Chile, where prosecutors are investigating cases of sexual abuse by members of the clergy.

Catholic Church • 21 Sep 18

Mary McAleese said the pope's mode of thinking in putting the defence of the institution first was due to his formation as a priest and as a bishop

McAleese: Pope putting church defence ahead of victims

Former president Mary McAleese has accused Pope Francis of being in a mode of thinking that puts the defence of the Catholic Church as an institution ahead of the interests of victims of clerical child sexual abuse.

Ireland • 18 Aug 18

Pope Francis has accepted the resignations of five Chilean bishops

Chilean government asks Vatican for sex abuse documents

The Chilean government has asked the Vatican to hand over documents related to accusations of sex abuse committed by clergy in Chile against children.

World • 15 Aug 18

Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet's appointment as UN human rights chief is expected to be approved tomorrow

Chile's Michelle Bachelet picked to be UN rights chief

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has announced the appointment of Michelle Bachelet, Chile's twice-serving president who endured torture under the Pinochet regime, as the world body's next human rights chief.

United Nations • 09 Aug 18

Regional prosecutor Emiliano Arias speaks to reporters in the Chilean capital of Santiago

Top Chilean priest held over allegations of child abuse

Prominent Chilean Catholic priest, Oscar Munoz, who held senior positions in the archdiocese of Santiago, has been detained over allegations that he sexually abused seven children.

World • 13 Jul 18

Pope told gay man 'God made you this way'

A Chilean man who suffered clerical sexual abuse has said Pope Francis told him in a private conversation that God had made him gay and loved him that way, according to the Spanish newspaper 'El Pais'.

World • 22 May 18