"Thousands of Chileans took to the streets in Santiago, Valparaiso and Concepcion on Sunday to protest President Jose Antonio Kast's decision to withdraw 48 environmental decrees, with demonstrations turning violent near the government palace as police deployed water cannon and tear gas. Footage from the capital shows protesters marching on World Water Day with signs reading 'Ecosystems are not for sale' and images of the Humboldt penguin and Darwin's frog – two endemic species whose protection was among the decrees scrapped by the new government. The measure involves withdrawing a series of initiatives promoted by the previous government of Gabriel Boric, including the designation of national parks and reserves, the declaration of the Humboldt penguin as a Natural Monument species, and the decree approving the Recovery, Conservation and Management Plan for Darwin's Frogs. "I believe that on environmental matters, and in these first seven days, the signal given by Kast's government is that in practice what it wants to do is precisely strip the Chilean state of its environmental muscle so that extractivist projects can proliferate in our territory," said Rodrigo Mundaca, governor of the Valparaiso region. "The land is not for sale, the land is our planet, it is the only thing we have. We have to defend it and fight for those who have no voice," proclaimed protester Trinidad Salinas. The day ended in clashes with police forces after authorities attempted to clear the area near the government palace, reportedly resulting in several arrests. Kast's government withdrew 48 environmental and energy decrees on March 12, just one day after taking office, arguing that a 'technical and legal review' was needed to ensure 'current standards'. The decrees remain on indefinite hold pending review, with some potentially discarded entirely."