Gabriel Boric, President of Chile, and Giorgio Jackson, Minister of Social Development and Family.ANDRÉS PÉREZ CUENCA (MIDESOF)
Chilean President Gabriel Boric on Wednesday criticized the announcement by Republican Party and right-wing MPs that they would bring a constitutional indictment against Social Development Minister Giorgio Jackson in the Chamber of Deputies. The ministerial removal initiative, widespread in Chile by the opposition, aims to sack the president’s key political ally in the Accord case, a conspiracy to transfer state funds to private foundations allegedly earmarked for social projects affected primarily the Democratic Revolutionary (RD) Party of the Chilean Broad Front, founded and led by Jackson. The case, which erupted on June 16, has spread to different regions of the country and currently 11 regional prosecutors are investigating transfers from millionaires to 37 foundations in different parts of Chile.
While presenting the draft of a future metro line, Boric said that “constitutional allegations are a legitimate part of Parliament’s powers, but they must be legally substantiated and not spontaneously invented.” “In this case, it would be mine To say more transparently, in my opinion, that there are certain areas of Chilean politics that will do everything possible to stand in the way of the government and prevent it from carrying out its reforms, and that they also say so publicly.” President added.
After the Republicans announced they would attack Jackson again – the second accusation against him that this political force has leveled – the seats of the traditional right-wing parties UDI, Renovación Nacional and Evópoli collapsed. The indictment is aimed at the dismissal of the minister von Boric, and in order to advance to the Chamber of Deputies, 78 of the 155 parliamentarians’ votes are required.
“We demand that the allegations are not made indiscriminately. Here, the allegations that are made must be seriously justified, especially in the case of criminal charges, and raised before the appropriate authorities,” said the President on Wednesday.
This is the second constitutional allegation in six months that the Republican Party has leveled against Jackson, a new political force (it was formally formed in 2019) that won the first round of the 2021 presidential election with its leader José Antonio Kast, who won it however, failed to defeat Boric in the voting. In last May’s Constitutional Council election, Republicans won a large majority with 35% of the vote, giving them 32 seats. The Chamber of Deputies is made up of 12 MPs who on Monday will officially present the indictment of the minister closest to the President and his fellow travelers, both of whom were university heads in 2011.
Since the outbreak of the money chaos scandal in the Agreements case, the opposition, in particular the UDI, has been demanding his resignation. Even that party broke off dialogue with the executive on July 21 amid talks on executive-sponsored pension reforms. Boric said today: “We invited them to the meeting months ago, and for various reasons they do not come to the table, they do not sit down.” Or if the meeting is to take place, they simply say that they will not attend , until you depose such a minister. And while the pensions are still waiting. This permanent disability does not harm the government, but ultimately harms the neighbors. And if we want to increase pensions, we have to make an agreement where no one is going to get 100% of what they wanted.”
Constitutional allegations are a tool that the opposition has repeatedly used against the current government in recent years to overthrow ministers. During Boric’s tenure, which began in March 2022, four have already been submitted and all rejected: Izkia Siches (Ministry of Interior), Giorgio Jackson (in January 2023), Marcela Ríos (Justice) and Marco Antonio Ávila (Education). ). According to the announcements, the fifth will be submitted next Monday.
In the Convenios case, several government officials are the protagonists who could soon be summoned as witnesses by the public prosecutor’s office. “Here we are aware of cases of unacceptable embezzlement and corruption for which there is no justification. And any authority that is quoted will not only testify, but also actively cooperate, because as President of the Republic, I have given all my staff the mandate that everyone here must do everything possible to ensure that all these embezzlements go away “You know that it Sanctions exist and they won’t happen again,” Boric said today in reference to the possible testimonies brought together by Jackson, budget director Javiera Martínez and housing minister, socialist Carlos Montes, along with La Moneda’s chief adviser, Miguel Crispi.