Chile

Chile is a constitutional multi-party democracy. On December 15, in a presidential run-off following congressional, regional council, and a first round of presidential elections on November 17, Chileans elected former president Michelle Bachelet as their next president. All of the elections were considered to be free and fair. The new government will take office in March 2014. Authorities generally maintained effective control over the security forces. Security forces occasionally committed human rights abuses. The principal human rights problems concerned discrimination against indigenous populations; societal violence and discrimination against women, children, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons; child labor; and harsh prison conditions and treatment. Additional human rights concerns in the country included use of excessive force and abuse by security forces, isolated reports of government corruption, and anti-Semitism. The government generally took steps to prosecute officials who committed abuses. Nevertheless, many human rights organizations contended that security officials accused of committing abuses have impunity.