Late last week, a decision to increase metro fares in Santiago metropolitan area triggered protest in Santiago, which have spread to other areas in Chile. These protests have resulted in some cases in acts of violence and confrontation with security forces. The Chilean Government has declared the state of emergency in several regions, including Santiago, and imposed a curfew.

In response to this situation, ALMA is reducing to minimum operations, i.e. no science observations, and keeping just essential services to ensure the safety and well-being of its employees, and the Observatory. This measure applies to both the main offices in Santiago and the Observatory operations facilities near Calama and San Pedro de Atacama, and will be reassessed daily.

All ALMA staff, including all NAOJ Staff in Chile and their families, are well, and the Observatory facilities are safe.