Gabriel Boric, at the last CELAC summit on January 24th in Buenos Aires (Argentina). Matías Baglietto (NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Government spokeswoman Camila Vallejo confirmed today that left-wing Chilean President Gabriel Boric will attend the December 10 ceremony where Argentine President Alberto Fernández will hand over command to far-right economist, Javier Milei, on Sunday chosen. Until yesterday it was a mystery whether Boric would attend, because when asked about it on Tuesday, Vallejo said only that he had “a very intense agenda on international, regional, economic and security issues” but that “goes beyond that.” . Regardless of whether we come to the change of command or not, our central goal is to maintain a good diplomatic relationship with Argentina.”
On the other hand, Vallejo said today that Boric’s attendance at Milei’s inauguration was “a decision made.” The President represents the State of Chile and will be present as always.” “This is a standard that the President has for all cases. We are interested in establishing and strengthening diplomatic and governmental relations with all countries, regardless of whether the governments in power are like-minded or not, because when we talk about state policy, we speak for the good of our people whom we represent ,” he added.
On Tuesday, after Vallejo did not confirm whether Boric would attend the leadership change, both the ruling party and especially the right began to pressure the Chilean president to take part in the change. Even six members of the House Foreign Relations Commission, from both the ruling party and the opposition, sent him a letter recommending he leave.
In view of the numerous stresses, the Chilean president said on Tuesday about his presence at the change of command: “These are matters of state and I don’t need anyone to tell me what I should or shouldn’t do as president.” But he also admitted that that it is a decision that is being discussed and that he is “ready to do it.” “I have to represent Chile in its historical continuity and Argentina is a priority country in our relations and that is why I will fulfill this duty with all existing ones fulfill diplomatic responsibilities,” the president said.
“The Chilean and Argentine people are fraternal people, therefore my duty as President of the Republic is, regardless of the political differences that undoubtedly exist, between the elected president (in Argentina) and the incumbent government “In Chile, our people and ours Countries high-minded state relations,” he added yesterday.
A 10 minute conversation
Boric called Javier Milei on Tuesday. As La Moneda reported, the left-wing president and the leader of Argentina’s far-right had “a frank conversation that put the well-being of both peoples first” that lasted ten minutes.
After Milei’s victory, Boric welcomed him on social networks: “Today the Argentine people had a democratic day to elect their president for the next four years. I congratulate Javier Milei for his victory and Sergio Massa for his dignified recognition of the defeat. I wish the Argentine people well and know that they will always have our respect and support. As President of Chile, I will work tirelessly to ensure that our sister nations remain united and work together for the good of all.”
The focus has been on the reaction of Boric, who is close to President Alberto Fernández, after some friction this year. When Milei traveled to Santiago in July as Argentina’s presidential candidate, he said at a press conference: “Among the left they are coming together, that is, among the impoverished they are coming together, exactly as we hope.” Break free from the Kirchnerist plague (…) I hope that you have the luck and the heights to get rid of this impoverished Boric too.”
In parallel, opposition parliamentarians called on the president to appoint a next ambassador to Argentina who would be a career man and not a politician, as they had done in recent governments of both the center-left and right-wing parties. This is because the position left in Buenos Aires by Bárbara Figueroa, who returned to Chile in September to take up the post of general secretary of the Communist Party, has not been filled. Boric said he would choose an ambassador “with the best abilities,” but that “I appoint the ambassador, not the other side.”