Chile has pulled out of hosting two major international summits, including a UN climate change conference, as anti-government protests continue.<\/p>\n
President Sebasti\u00e1n Pi\u00f1era said the decision had caused him “pain” but his government needed “to prioritise re-establishing public order”.<\/p>\n
The COP25 climate summit was scheduled for 2 to 13 December, while the Apec trade forum was next month.<\/p>\n
The UN said it was now looking at alternative venues.<\/p>\n
World leaders were to gather at this year’s Conference of the Parties (COP) to discuss the implementation of the Paris Accord – a landmark international climate agreement, first signed at COP21 in December 2015.<\/p>\n
This is the first time a country has pulled out of hosting the conference at such short notice.<\/p>\n
The demonstrations were originally triggered by a now-suspended rise in the price of metro fares in Santiago.<\/p>\n
However protesters are now marching to express their discontent over a wide variety of problems ranging from inequality to the high cost of healthcare.<\/p>\n