MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean students announce Monday national strike

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said Saturday she was open to talks with protesting high-school students even when the government's latest, and apparently definitive, proposal was rejected by demonstration leaders.

In an interview with a local station, President Bachelet said the government would always seek to solve disputes through dialogue adding that Education Minister Martin Zilic "will continue discussing all issues with the students".

But not a word was mentioned of her personal involvement in the talks as demanded by protestors plus insisting that "this is the best effort the government can make" in terms of concessions to students.

President Bachelet is facing her biggest test since taking office three months ago with huge student rallies protesting in Santiago streets demanding reforms to the education system, a legacy of Pinochet's regime, plus free transport and other benefits.

Last Thursday she agreed to some demands particularly for students from low income families and a fees waiver for access to tertiary education, but she refused to grant free public transport to all students.

"We're not in a process of negotiation. Talks can continue, but we've already made a decision" Bachelet said.

Student leaders rejected the government's proposals after more than 12 hours of debate and announced Saturday a national education strike for next Monday including university students, teachers' organizations and other related unions, with a "greater impact than the one of last Tuesday".

"We'll be staging a national strike and will continue to protest until the government sets up negotiations in which I hope the president will participate" said student spokeswoman Maria Jesus Sanhueza.

Last Tuesday 800.000 students (half of Chile's enrolment) took to the streets and in Santiago clashed with riot police waiting armed with batons and water cannons. At the end of the day there were 700 arrests, 28 injured including several journalists and the Carabineros (Gendarmerie) officer in charge of keeping order in Santiago was sacked for "brutality", all registered live on television.

Almost a thousand public and private school buildings remain occupied by protesting students.

Bachelet acknowledged Saturday that the protesting students have been successful in bringing the issue of education reform into the national spotlight, but in a veiled warning said that "if there is another demonstration, acts of vandalism must be avoided"