Deal ends Chile Magallanes gas protest

he government of Chile has reached a deal to end protests in the far south of the country over a hike in natural gas prices. The proposed 17% increase had outraged residents of the Magallanes region of Patagonia, who depend on cheap gas to cope with icy conditions. But after a week of road blockades that trapped hundreds of tourists, the government cut the increase to just 3%. It also agreed to increase subsidies for poorer families. Chile's Mining and Energy Minister Laurence Golborne traveled to the regional capital of Punta Arenas to negotiate an end to the dispute. "We have reached a wide-reaching agreement to put an end to the protest in the Magallanes region," he said. Demonstrators blocked main roads and ports, hitting the region's tourist trade. Source: BBC