
Demonstrators clash with riot police following a protest against the Chilean government Dec. 18, 2019, in Santiago, Chile.
Setbacks and controversies during the process of replacing the Chilean Constitution over the next several years will keep alive the risk of turmoil like the country has experienced in recent months. The continued unrest will threaten Chile's business-friendly reputation. Since October, demonstrations have periodically rocked Chile's urban areas, drawing in not only the left, students and radicals but also a broad cross-section of Chilean society, including professionals and the middle class. Government promises to replace the country's constitution have, however, somewhat quieted recent protests. Deep-seated grievances over economic inequality and the legacy of the country's longtime dictator, Augusto Pinochet, have fueled the recent protests. The protesters, who by no means enjoy the support of all Chileans, are pushing to reverse some of the country's longstanding pro-market policies, which are embodied most concretely in the still-in-effect 1980 constitution.