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Santiago Uprising, Chile - Nov. 2019

In October of 2019, Chile experienced widespread social unrest, largely centered in Santiago. The genesis? A 3% increase in metro fares. The increase became the spark that ignited long simmering discontent over social inequality, economic disparity, and ingrained political injustice. The protests escalated into nationwide demonstrations, leading to a state of emergency and the deployment of the military.

In this series I documented the street protests in Santiago in early November, as well as individuals trying to keep some of Chile’s protest history alive. The protests lasted through in 2020 and ended due to the arrival of COVID .

The Chilean Carabinieri in full regalia. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
The Chilean Carabinieri in full regalia.
A protester ready for street action. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
A protester ready for street action.
Every street tells a story after a protest. Rocks, that time-honored weapon of street protests-tells its own story in downtown Santiago. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Every street tells a story after a protest. Rocks, that time-honored weapon of street protests-tells its own story in downtown Santiago.
Although street protests had an ad hoc feel to them, there was a concerted effort to have medics ready to deal with injuries from the use of rubber bullets and firing of tear canisters by riot police. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Although street protests had an ad hoc feel to them, there was a concerted effort to have medics ready to deal with injuries from the use of rubber bullets and firing of tear canisters by riot police.
Protestors getting shot in the eye by rubber bullets or tear gas canisters was not uncommon during protests. More than 1,800 eye injuries were registered during the protests - one of the highest eye injuries of any protests worldwide, according to the Chilean Ophthalmology Society. I encountered this head in a shop window reflecting they eye patch the many protesters wore at the time. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Protestors getting shot in the eye by rubber bullets or tear gas canisters was not uncommon during protests. More than 1,800 eye injuries were registered during the protests - one of the highest eye injuries of any protests worldwide, according to the Chilean Ophthalmology Society. I encountered this head in a shop window reflecting they eye patch the many protesters wore at the time.
Documentary - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Tear gas shut down many streets in downtown Santiago, where stores and businesses closed for weeks during street actions. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Tear gas shut down many streets in downtown Santiago, where stores and businesses closed for weeks during street actions.
The convergence of protest and art: these troop movers were a common target for rocks and paint bombs and veritable canvas for color. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
The convergence of protest and art: these troop movers were a common target for rocks and paint bombs and veritable canvas for color.
Documentary - Edward Ortiz - Photography
A defining aspect of the streetscape in Santiago was the sheer amount of street art and graffiti found on almost every wall in the city. In this photo the discontent with then president Sebastián Piñera was truly evident. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
A defining aspect of the streetscape in Santiago was the sheer amount of street art and graffiti found on almost every wall in the city. In this photo the discontent with then president Sebastián Piñera was truly evident.
This graffito encapsulates what some experienced during the the Pinochet dictatorship. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
This graffito encapsulates what some experienced during the the Pinochet dictatorship.
Documentary - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Protestor, with a beef, sans Sancho Panza. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Protestor, with a beef, sans Sancho Panza.
Fear. Is it the enemy of every democracy? - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Fear. Is it the enemy of every democracy?
Documentary - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Ridicule or confrontation? In Chile they go together. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Ridicule or confrontation? In Chile they go together.
A wall with the names of those who had disappeared. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
A wall with the names of those who had disappeared.
Richard, who experienced the fear that was prevalent under the Pinochet regime. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Richard, who experienced the fear that was prevalent under the Pinochet regime.
Have they ever been found? - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Have they ever been found?
Sometimes, a country, despite the will of its people, finds itself in a dream it cannot wake from. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Sometimes, a country, despite the will of its people, finds itself in a dream it cannot wake from.
A common icon during the protests were themes relating to the Mapuche, Chile's largest Indigenous group. The colors of the Mapuche flag, including the flag itself, become a symbol of solidarity between the Mapuche and Chileans, both having grown tired of economic hardship and repression. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
A common icon during the protests were themes relating to the Mapuche, Chile's largest Indigenous group. The colors of the Mapuche flag, including the flag itself, become a symbol of solidarity between the Mapuche and Chileans, both having grown tired of economic hardship and repression.
The protests offered a curious mix of and bright exuberance and the dar pallor of confrontations between protesters and law enforcement - and these existed not far from each other. In these protests music was as much an integral part of the zeitgeist as was the street art and graffiti seen all over the city. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
The protests offered a curious mix of and bright exuberance and the dar pallor of confrontations between protesters and law enforcement - and these existed not far from each other. In these protests music was as much an integral part of the zeitgeist as was the street art and graffiti seen all over the city.
The office- library of the Centro Cultural Tallersol in the Yungay district of Santiago. The center, founded in 1977, is a key archive focused on posters and another material documenting protests and labor and social movements during the Pinochet dictatorship. It is the repository of over 6,000 posters in a country with a rich tradition of political murals and graphic design. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
The office- library of the Centro Cultural Tallersol in the Yungay district of Santiago. The center, founded in 1977, is a key archive focused on posters and another material documenting protests and labor and social movements during the Pinochet dictatorship. It is the repository of over 6,000 posters in a country with a rich tradition of political murals and graphic design.
Antonio Kadima. founder of the Tallersol Center. Kadima, a genteel man with a wry sense of humor, is a dying breed in Chile - a holdout from the Pinochet era. Kadima has been elemental in archiving thousands of posters and other graphical material documenting the many protests and social movements in Chile. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Antonio Kadima. founder of the Tallersol Center. Kadima, a genteel man with a wry sense of humor, is a dying breed in Chile - a holdout from the Pinochet era. Kadima has been elemental in archiving thousands of posters and other graphical material documenting the many protests and social movements in Chile.
The Chilean Carabinieri in full regalia. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
A protester ready for street action. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Every street tells a story after a protest. Rocks, that time-honored weapon of street protests-tells its own story in downtown Santiago. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Although street protests had an ad hoc feel to them, there was a concerted effort to have medics ready to deal with injuries from the use of rubber bullets and firing of tear canisters by riot police. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Protestors getting shot in the eye by rubber bullets or tear gas canisters was not uncommon during protests. More than 1,800 eye injuries were registered during the protests - one of the highest eye injuries of any protests worldwide, according to the Chilean Ophthalmology Society. I encountered this head in a shop window reflecting they eye patch the many protesters wore at the time. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Documentary - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Tear gas shut down many streets in downtown Santiago, where stores and businesses closed for weeks during street actions. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
The convergence of protest and art: these troop movers were a common target for rocks and paint bombs and veritable canvas for color. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Documentary - Edward Ortiz - Photography
A defining aspect of the streetscape in Santiago was the sheer amount of street art and graffiti found on almost every wall in the city. In this photo the discontent with then president Sebastián Piñera was truly evident. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
This graffito encapsulates what some experienced during the the Pinochet dictatorship. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Documentary - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Protestor, with a beef, sans Sancho Panza. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Fear. Is it the enemy of every democracy? - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Documentary - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Ridicule or confrontation? In Chile they go together. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
A wall with the names of those who had disappeared. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Richard, who experienced the fear that was prevalent under the Pinochet regime. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Have they ever been found? - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Sometimes, a country, despite the will of its people, finds itself in a dream it cannot wake from. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
A common icon during the protests were themes relating to the Mapuche, Chile's largest Indigenous group. The colors of the Mapuche flag, including the flag itself, become a symbol of solidarity between the Mapuche and Chileans, both having grown tired of economic hardship and repression. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
The protests offered a curious mix of and bright exuberance and the dar pallor of confrontations between protesters and law enforcement - and these existed not far from each other. In these protests music was as much an integral part of the zeitgeist as was the street art and graffiti seen all over the city. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
The office- library of the Centro Cultural Tallersol in the Yungay district of Santiago. The center, founded in 1977, is a key archive focused on posters and another material documenting protests and labor and social movements during the Pinochet dictatorship. It is the repository of over 6,000 posters in a country with a rich tradition of political murals and graphic design. - Edward Ortiz - Photography
Antonio Kadima. founder of the Tallersol Center. Kadima, a genteel man with a wry sense of humor, is a dying breed in Chile - a holdout from the Pinochet era. Kadima has been elemental in archiving thousands of posters and other graphical material documenting the many protests and social movements in Chile. - Edward Ortiz - Photography