TUNIS, Tunisia — The Tunisian capital as well as other governorates have been rocked by widespread protests since Jan. 3, which descended into acts of vandalism and looting, over the government’s austerity measures that came as part of the finance law of 2018, which became effective at the beginning of January.

Under the law, there has been an increase in price of consumer goods that included fuel, medicine, electricity and food (but not bread); additional taxes also were imposed. Pro-opposition parties warned against new bread riots against the government measures. The bread riots swept Tunisia at the end of December 1983 and culminated on Jan. 3, 1984, when dozens of demonstrators were shot dead by security forces.

On Jan. 13, the government announced a $70 million reform package to increase aid to citizens in need and access to health care.

Clashes erupted in several Tunisian cities between protesters and security forces, which led to the death Jan. 8 of a young man from Tebourba, west of the capital, Tunis, as a result of gas suffocation when the police tried to disperse a group of protesters using tear gas, according to a statement by the Tunisian Interior Ministry.