Pinera unveils measures to stem protests

Stores burned

Many stores, subway stations and banks were burned, damaged or looted during protests over the weekend, and some people have reported problems getting cash at ATMs.

The protest violence - widespread looting, arson and clashes with the 20,000 security forces deployed on the streets - is the worst to hit Chile since 1990.

On Tuesday, the army announced a nighttime curfew - from 8 pm to 5 am - for the fourth day in a row.

Before Pinera's announcement, one of Chile's largest conglomerates, Quinenco, decided to act swiftly and promised to increase its minimum salaries to 500,000 pesos a month from Jan 1 - 60 percent more than the current minimum wage of 301,000 pesos.

Chile's big business conglomerates are a major factor in the huge wealth disparity that has angered protesters.

A 55-year-old man taking part in Monday's protests, who gave his name only as Orlando, said low salaries and pensions, waiting lists at hospitals and high prices for medicine, were the real reasons for the protests.

Many Chilean families earn $550 to $700 a month and monthly pension payments can be as low as $159, The Associated Press reported.

The government started naming some of the dead on Tuesday. Nine had died in fires, one was electrocuted and five were shot, four of those by the security forces.

Eleven of the fatalities were in the Santiago region. A Peruvian and an Ecuadorian were among the dead.

Since the unrest began, more than 2,600 people have been detained.

Agencies