Santiago, Safar 4, 1438, Nov 4, 2016, SPA -- Chilean protesters torched public buses in the capital Santiago and barricaded streets there and in other cities Friday during a general strike to demand the end of a private pension system, dpa reported. Luis Mesina, who as head of the No Mas AFP (No More Pension Fund Administrators) movement called the strike, disavowed the unrest but said it was a sign of the level of people's discontent. The private pension system installed under former military dictator Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) promised subscribers 70 per cent of their salaries during retirement. But the riches never materialized, and in fact the average workers' pension now falls below Chile's minimum wage of 257,500 pesos (about 385 dollars) per month. President Michele Bachelet denounced the violence, saying on Twitter that it was "not the path for a national agreement" and praising instead peaceful marches the group has held since July. The situation had returned to calm by mid-day, Chile's interior minister said, and no arrests or injuries were reported. -- SPA 21:33 LOCAL TIME 18:33 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w