César Valenzuela, ex vocero de la Revolución Pingüina, recuerda las protestas del 2006

César Valenzuela Maass was 16 years old when he became the spokesperson for the Penguin Revolution. He was the student body president at the Liceo Confederación Suiza and a member of the Socialist Youth when he became the voice of a generation that longed to improve education. On April 25, 2006, 19 years ago, the first strikes and protests against the privatization of education took place, demanding a structural transformation of the education system and challenging the government of former President Michelle Bachelet. That day marked the beginning of a movement that quickly gained momentum. The strikes spread to schools and high schools throughout the country, generating enough pressure to force the resignation of the then Minister of Education, Martín Zilic, who was replaced by Yasna Provoste. During the following months, the “Penguin Revolution” succeeded in placing the urgent need for educational reform on the public agenda. The movement denounced the inequality and market logic that dominated the system, and highlighted the active role students could play in public policy discussions. Although their initial demands were not fully met, the mobilization left a significant mark. In the long term, it contributed to the implementation of reforms such as free higher education. Today, Súbela News speaks with one of its key figures. #PenguinRevolution #StudentProtests #Chile #Education #Marches #MichelleBachelet