Protesters Push Chile to End 30 Years of Fiscal Austerity

Katherine Barrios’ five years at a Chilean university left her with debts of about $26,000, more than twice her annual salary as a teacher. It also ensured her support for protests that have shuttered many schools for three months and threaten to undermine 30 years of fiscal austerity.

“It’s like paying a mortgage,” Barrios, 31, said in a phone interview. “That is why we are protesting. I want things to change for coming generations.”