Día del Joven Combatiente (or the Day of the Young Combatant), is a non-official, remembrance day celebrated each March 29th in Chile by the Revolutionary Left Movement (or MIR).
It commemorates the death of the brothers Rafael and Eduardo Vergara Toledo, which occurred on March 29, 1985, during the military regime era in Chile. The commemoration has evolved into a day of protest visible in most urban areas of Chile. In recent years, the protests have become more violent and is commonly associated with vandalism and pillaging. It has morphed into just another chance to get in the streets and cause trouble.
It is because of this, most churches in Santiago do not have evening services this weekend, since this year the holiday falls on Sunday. Many church goers travel by city bus or walk, and it could be very dangerous to get caught up in these demonstrations and random acts of violence.Our family will be going to morning services, but then "button down the hatches" for the rest of the day and pray that the crowds will not come down our street and cause damage.
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