Chileans living in Australia have become among the world’s first to vote to decide whether their country's constitution should be rewritten.
Drafted under a military dictatorship 40 years ago, many believe the current charter has safeguarded the economic elite and created drastic social inequality.
A new constitution was a key demand of demonstrators involved in protests last year, which started in October as a a coordinated fare evasion campaign by high school students, before morphing into a movement against broader economic inequality and alleged government corruption.
Over the next 24 hours, voters in Chile are expected to turn out in numbers to decide whether the country should approve or reject a new constitution.
Despite their distance, the vote is no less important for Chileans living in Australia, who became some of the first in the world to take to the polls.
'This plebiscite is historic'
With over 30,000 Chileans living in Australia, those who are still registered to vote in Chile turned out to vote on Sunday.
Many of those at the Chilean consulate in Sydney told SBS News the referendum was crucial to address the country's socio-economic issues.
Omar Iturietta, a former political prisoner of the country's military junta, came to Australia in 1974.
Mr Iturietta said he was was imprisoned and tortured in 1973 during the military coup under former dictator Augusto Pinochet, who ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990.
He said the vote is historic and that the constitution, which was created under Mr Pinochet's rule, must be rewritten by the people.
"This plebiscite is historic, the first time in Chilean history when people have the chance to participate, to decide about the main topics, about a new constitution for Chileans," he told SBS News. "That is the main topic for all Chileans around the world."
Mr Pinochet’s opponents say more than 3,000 people died under his rule because of political violence, while thousands more were held as political prisoners and tortured.
"It was very unfair, and that’s why we are happy to use this opportunity to write a new constitution, to forget about the old one," Mr Iturietta said. "We hope the participation of the people, of the workers, is very important, but we also hope all the decisions are in favour of the majority."
'We are living with a lot of inequality'
Until recently, Chile was considered one of Latin’s most stable and prosperous countries. But it also has the worst levels of income disparity among a group of 30 of the world’s wealthiest nations.
A 2018 government study showed rich Chileans earned nearly 14 times more than the country’s poorest, and found it had an income gap around 65 per cent higher than the OECD average.
Chilean voter Maria Reyes Compos, 29, said the vote was crucial to addressing these issues.
Ms Reyes Compos, who has been living in Australia for three years, is voting to scrap the constitution, as will her family back home in Chile.
"This is the first time we really have the chance to give or express our opinion," she told SBS News. "This is the first time we can really go and vote for something that is not elections. So this time, it is very important that we go and re-write a new constitution.
"Chile needs it because at the moment, we are living a lot of inequality. People are looking for dignity, to live with enough food for their homes, to have good educational system," Ms Reyes Compos said.
"We want everyone to have access to basic things like education, and health as well.
"We are having problems with older people, because they don’t have enough pension to survive."
She said her community is feeling "really empowered" by the vote. "We are here today to express our opinion, and give a vote. It’s really exciting," she added.
'We need a new group of politicians in Chile'
But not everyone supports the vote for a new constitution, with many crediting the charter for laying the foundation for robust economic growth.
Chilean voter Mario Guzman said the current constitution is “very well done” as it is, arguing it just needs to be “applied properly”.
"They spent a lot of time to do it. We don’t need another constitution. They only thing we need is to apply it properly," he told SBS News. "That’s the reason I’m here - to reject a new constitution."
Rather, Mr Guzman said "corrupt politicians" was the source of Chile's issues.
"We need to apply it in the proper way. We need a new group of politicians in Chile."
How will the vote work?
Back in Chile, organisers are preparing for millions of people to vote in the coming hours.
Chileans have two voting options. Under one option, people must choose whether the new constitution will be written by a mix of politicians and citizens.
The alternative is creating a constituent assembly composed entirely of elected members of the public.
Women will make up half of the newly-elected delegates in whichever body is chosen.
Recent polls suggest around 70 percent of Chileans will vote in favour of a new constitution.
The vote comes after violent skirmishes broke out last weekend in Chile as tens of thousands gathered to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the protests.
Several police stations were attacked and two churches were burned.
