In October of 2019, a rise in public transportation fares catalyzed one of the biggest waves of protest seen in Chile’s recent history. This paper investigates the root causes of these protests. I show that two factors—unmet expectations and political disillusionment—contributed to making conditions ripe for protest. Chileans expected the neoliberal economic model, implemented in Chile in the 1970s, to bring about social and economic equality. This model, however, failed to meet Chileans’ expectations of the government to provide healthcare services, education, and well-paying jobs. This discontent with the economic model was reflected in and influenced by a lack of trust in political institutions and dissatisfaction with political leaders. The interaction of unmet economic expectations and political disengagement materialized in the form of mass protest.