Five people have died after a garment factory was set ablaze by looters near Chile’s capital Santiago amid a wave of violent protests.
The military and police used tear gas and water cannon against protesters and a curfew was imposed in major cities.
A state of emergency already in place in Santiago is to be extended to cities in the country’s north and south.
The unrest, sparked by a now suspended metro fare hike, has widened to reflect anger over living costs and inequality.
In a late-night statement on television, President Sebastián Piñera said: “We’re at war against a powerful enemy, who is willing to use violence without any limits”.
Source: bbc.com
