Representatives of nearly three dozen barrios and communities in Santiago are calling for direct intervention by the local authorities and asking them to declare a state of emergency in the city. A demonstration was held yesterday, Wednesday 26 March, in response to the rising crime rate across the city, according to the leaders of the vigil outside the provincial governor’s offices. The community activists signed a letter that was delivered to the press saying that the long blackouts and a lack of lighting were the best allies of crime. Group spokesman Gabriel Ventura said that as well as the electricity problems there were also health issues because of the large piles of uncollected garbage. Another community spokesman, Jose Francisco Consuegra, told El Caribe reporters that “the Edenorte blackouts are making it easy for criminals to commit robberies and muggings and are responsible for an increase in drug trafficking.” Just over the weekend the social networks reported over 30 robberies and muggings while gang rivalries are reported to have taken the life of one victim.