Mexican authorities detained more than 1,500 people in Mexico in the wake of a wave of lootings and protests across the country in response to a double-digit hike in gasoline prices, Svoboda reported.

So far six people have been killed and business leaders estimate that more than 1,000 shops and companies have been looted or vandalized this week as others closed over fears of being robbed.

Peña Nieto’s government hiked gasoline prices by 20 percent on the first day of 2017 and all hell broke loose, he insists that the move responds to international prices and not a result of his neoliberal reforms.

The head of Mexico urged citizens to stop demonstrations, explaining price increase with need of rescue of the Mexican economy.