Local officials said that there were four beekeepers after a protest outside Chile’s presidential palace in Santiago, and seven police officers were stung during demonstrations. Honey production has been affected by a prolonged drought in Chile that has destroyed bee food sources such as flowers and crops.
While droughts are not uncommon in Chile, the current mega-drought has been going on since 2010, and climate change is at least partly to blame, according to scientists. The beekeepers aim is to get some government reforms to raise honey prices or provide subsidies to honey producers and have asked for a meeting with President Sebastian Pinera.
On the alley in front of the building, beekeepers set up about 60 hives, which contained approximately 10,000 bees.