Chile

• Monday, July 20th 2020 - 09:45 UTC

  Chile presents new plan “Step by Step” to relax the lockdown in twelve regions; no mention to the mining area

  

  Chilean government officials presented a plan on Sunday to gradually relax lockdown restrictions after the coronavirus infection rate improved in some regions of the country. The plan, called “Step by Step,” includes five stages that range from total quarantine to advanced opening and will be applied according to epidemiological criteria, the capacity of the healthcare system and the ability to trace cases, officials said.

• Thursday, July 16th 2020 - 09:39 UTC

  Riots in Santiago as congress considers bill to allow Chileans to withdraw part of their pension funds

  

  Protesters in Santiago defied a citywide lockdown meant to combat the spread of the coronavirus, barricading roads and looting early into the morning on Wednesday in support of a proposal to allow Chileans to withdraw part of their pensions amid the crisis.

• Thursday, July 16th 2020 - 09:30 UTC

  Chilean police train dogs to detect people infected with coronavirus

  

  Police in Chile is training dogs to detect people that may be infected with the coronavirus by sniffing their sweat. The dogs - three golden retrievers and a labrador - are between the ages of four and five. Until now, they have been used to sniff out illicit drugs, explosives and lost people, police say.

• Thursday, July 16th 2020 - 09:00 UTC

  Chilean lawmaker celebrates passing of a bill liberating 10% of pension funds

  

  Chilean lawmaker launched hundreds of internet memes on Wednesday when she ran through congress wearing a pink cape and waving matching fans to celebrate passage in the lower house of a coronavirus emergency aid measure.

• Monday, July 13th 2020 - 08:39 UTC

  Copper prices hit their highest in two years, over a Chilean miners' strike

  

  Shanghai copper hit its highest in nearly 25 months on Monday, while London copper scaled a 24-month high, on supply worries from top producer Chile due to a potential strike at a mine.

• Friday, July 10th 2020 - 07:56 UTC

  Copper recovering strongly, and at its highest levels since January

  

  Copper raced to its highest levels since January this week as speculators piled into the market, betting on further disruptions in top producer Chile and firm demand from the biggest consumer China.

• Tuesday, July 7th 2020 - 10:00 UTC

  Chilean aid package to help keep the ailing middle class afloat

  

  Chilean President Sebastian Piñera announced on Sunday a new US$ 1.5 billion package of measures to help keep the country´s ailing middle class afloat as the coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage the economy of the world´s top copper producer.

• Tuesday, July 7th 2020 - 09:43 UTC

  Chilean copper industry halts expansion to slow the spread of coronavirus among miners

  

  Chile's Codelco has halted work on a multibillion-dollar project to extend the life of its El Teniente mine as the copper producer strives to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease through its workforce, the state-owned mining company said.

• Thursday, July 2nd 2020 - 11:50 UTC

  Inequality and coronavirus pushing much of Chile's middle class back to poverty

  

  Middle classes in Chile are going through a complicated moment, with many slipping into poverty as long-established inequality was increased by the coronavirus pandemic and overall slowdown of the economy.

• Thursday, July 2nd 2020 - 11:31 UTC

  “Monumental” plunge of economic activity in Chile during May, 15,3%

  

  Chile's economic activity fell by 15.3% in May from the same month a year ago, the central bank said on Wednesday, hitting yet another historic low as measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus left many out of work and businesses shuttered.