Young superheros call for protection of Chile's glaciers

Around 2,000 people, many of them children dressed as superheroes, marched in Santiago Saturday calling on President Michelle Bachelet to protect Chile's glaciers.

"Bat-chelet: Use your super power," a sign carried by one girl read.

The youngsters, some dressed as well-known comic book characters while others sported simple masks and capes, gathered at the foot of Santa Lucia, a hill in the center of the capital, to march to the La Moneda presidential palace.

Some of the children delivered a letter to Bachelet, urging her to back legislation defending the Chilean glaciers.

"We are here as superheroes asking the president to protect the glaciers," a child said, reading from the letter.

Matias Asun, director of Greenpeace Chile, which organized the march, said the country was "suffering consequences in terms of drought and deterioration of environmental assets because there's no glacier law that restricts the destruction of these water reserves and their ecosystems."

Chilean glaciers cover approximately 23,000 square kilometers (8,800 square miles) and make up the country's largest water reserves.

Chile's glaciers constitute 82 percent of South America's glaciers.

© 2014 AFP