(CNN) Chile's Congress has reached an agreement to reform the country's constitution in an effort to restore peace after weeks of violent protests that have led to the deaths of at least 20 people.

The new constitution will seek a "peaceful and democratic exit to the crisis," Chilean Senate President Jaime Quintana announced at a news conference in Santiago early Friday morning.

Quintana said the new code would "build a true social contract" and be "100% democratic" compared to the current constitution, which was approved in 1980 during the rule of military dictator Augusto Pinochet.

"This has become possible thanks to the citizens who have been mobilized," he added.

Demonstrators climb on top of a monument in Plaza Italia, Santiago during a protest against Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on November 14, 2019.

Large-scale demonstrations continued across Santiago on Thursday -- this time to mark one year since a young indigenous man was shot dead by police.

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