In Chile, thousands of students, teachers and activists have taken to the streets of Santiago in a massive march against far-right President José Antonio Kast’s education cuts and sweeping austerity measures. Since taking office in March, Kast has pledged to slash roughly $6 billion in public spending over 18 months, imposing a nearly 3% budget cut across all ministries. The Confederation of Students of Chile called on citizens to reject the austerity plan under the slogan “Public Education Must Be Defended!”, warning that free higher education is now under threat in Chile. These are some of the voices from the march.

Edison: “We are returning once again to a savage dictatorship. The kids tried to march, and the police didn’t let them. The teachers were gassed and beaten.”

Yael Fuenzalida: “We are fighting to maintain rights, to protect them not only for us students, but also for the elderly and for all the people who need support and whom the state cannot leave alone.”