(Bloomberg) -- Chile’s lower house of Congress is debating a proposal to impeach President Sebastian Pinera over his handling of nearly two months of unrest that has left more than 20 dead and caused a slump in economic activity.

The motion accuses Pinera of supporting human-rights violations committed by security forces against protesters in recent weeks. The vote is expected to happen today.

Efforts to impeach Pinera are unlikely to succeed, since it would require members of the ruling coalition to vote against the president. Still, the debate is adding to tension after weeks of violence that crippled transport in the capital of Santiago and other major cities, shuttered shops and left thousands injured.

Chilean security forces have been accused of torture and sexual violence in their response to the demonstrations. Dozens of citizens have been blinded by rubber projectiles and gas canisters, with the toll of injuries far exceeding those at recent protests in Hong Kong, Spain, Lebanon and France.

Since October, the country has been rocked by mass protests that started out as demonstrations against a metro fare hike, but which grew into a broader movement calling for better government services. Pinera first responded by declaring a state of emergency and calling in troops, before reversing course.

Read more: Chile Government Unveils Stimulus Package as Economy Slumps

Pinera’s approval rating has evaporated during the protests, falling to as low as 10%, according to pollster Cadem. Still, his impeachment is seen as a long shot, as it would require a simple majority in the lower house followed by support from two-thirds of the Senate which would have to include defections from the president’s own governing base.

Pinera’s administration announced a range of economic and social measures, to try to calm the protests, and also agreed to a plebiscite on the chance of rewriting the constitution.

Read more: Chile’s Billionaire President’s Legacy Swept Away by Unrest

The lower house debate comes one day after Chile’s Senate voted to ban Pinera’s former Interior Minister Andres Chadwick from public office for five years. The president’s cousin and one of his closest confidants, Chadwick was reprimanded for failing to stop human rights violations during the unrest.

Both Pinera and Chadwick have denied that their actions violated the nation’s constitution.

To contact the reporter on this story: Matthew Malinowski in Brasilia at mmalinowski@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Walter Brandimarte at wbrandimarte@bloomberg.net, Matthew Bristow

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