The protests began earlier this week with high school students jumping subway turnstiles to oppose the second fare increase of the year. However, on Friday night, demonstrators escalated by setting fire to multiple subway stations, banks, buses, and the headquarters of Enel, the country's largest electricity provider. Looters also targeted supermarkets, stores, and pharmacies. During the protests, one student was killed by police and another was injured by rubber bullets. These events shook one of Latin America's most affluent and organized capitals. President Piñera declared a state of emergency, restricting citizens' movements and giving the army control over internal security. Piñera justified the measure as necessary to restore order after chaos caused by the protesters, whom he referred to as "delinquents." The fare increase, announced on October 6, sparked outrage as the cost of living for poor and middle-class families rises while wages remain stagnant. Isabel Mora, an 82-year-old retiree receiving a monthly pension of around $62, expressed frustration at the unfairness of the situation where transportation fares, electricity, gas, and other costs are increasing while salaries remain low. Earlier in the week, Piñera had announced plans to address rising transportation costs, as rush hour rides now cost approximately $1.20. The fare hike led to protests, with hundreds of people entering subway stations without paying and demonstrations spilling into the streets. Special police units responded aggressively, using tear gas, violence, and arrests to control the situation. The subway system had to stop operating on multiple lines and eventually had to completely shut down the entire network by nighttime, leaving hundreds, if not thousands of people stranded on the streets. Many were unable to catch crowded buses and had to walk for hours to reach home. Government officials labeled the protestors as "organized vandals" and "criminals" and stated that they would implement a law allowing higher penalties for crimes. Residents in the capital protested by banging pots and pans throughout the city on Friday night. During the looting of supermarkets and the construction of barricades, it seemed that the police had withdrawn to their stations. The demonstrations took place as Chile gets ready to host two significant international conferences: an APEC summit in mid-November and the UN Climate Change Conference in December.