In seven years, Chilean Senator José Manuel Rojo Edwards (Chicago, 46 years old) has resigned from two political parties. In 2016, he turned to the Renovación Nacional (RN) of the traditional right and, in early December, to the Republican Party of the ultra-right, of which he was a founder in 2019, together with José Antonio Kast, leader of the municipality. After his latest repeal, which he announced alongside Senators Alejandro Kusanovic and Juan Castro – both independents with RN quotas – he announced that he would create a “libertarian” movement that would be “republican” and “defend Chileanness ” become. ” .
Edwards resigned along with about 80 members of the Republican Party, although Senator EL PAÍS told there were many more. Like the Left, but for completely different reasons, this former Republican group voted against the constitutional proposal, the option that won the popular vote last Sunday the 17th. It was a text that precisely promoted the formation of Kast with the party and supported support from Chile Vamos, the traditional right-wing bloc: RN, the UDI and Evópoli.
The group, which has not yet been named, voted against it because many of its members considered the current Magna Carta, which was created in 1980 during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990), to be better, although it has been reformed 70 times since 1989. Also because there are those who do not believe in the proposed social rule of law – the subsidiary state has been retained, which is implicit in the current text and gives the private sector a leading role in the provision of social rights. But above all, as they said, because Chile has “other emergencies” outside of the constitutional discussion.
This triumph of freedom is also the final defeat of Octubrism and President Boric.
Chile's problems have never been constitutional and this must be the moment for unity to address the deep security, labor and development crisis that has been exacerbated by so many… pic.twitter.com/SWBHLx3AL8
– Rojo Edwards Senator RM (@RojoEdwards) December 18, 2023
When the opposition won, Edwards not only celebrated, he also warned that in two more years, when Chile holds its next presidential election, there will be “a government that defends freedom.” Last Friday, Kast confirmed that he would like to compete in the Palacio de La Moneda race for the third time.
Former voter and Evópoli president Gloria Hutt described Edward's group as “a most radical right,” in an interview with El Mostrador. “It’s no longer conservative, it’s more radical. The Republican identity is also clearly defined. UDI, RN and Evópoli are more in the middle.”
For Cristóbal Rovira, professor of political science at the Catholic University and one of the authors of the study The Far Right in Latin America: Definitions and Explanations, Edwards' appearance “is mainly due to internal disputes that are not so much ideological.” I think he doesn't feel comfortable being second in the Republican Party,” he says of the senator, highlighting his good political sense: “He knew it was difficult to win the popular vote, and that's why he pulled “Prefers to take power.” Part of the dissatisfaction with those “within the extreme right.”
The political scientist points out that “the world of the extreme right is diverse” and that there are “groups that are closer to the basic rules of democracy and present themselves as more moderate – caste-, while there are others that are very antagonistic. “to democracy and who show off their radicalism -Milei-. Edwards' bet is to channel this second group, which feels partly empowered by Milei's triumph.” But, he adds, “libertarian ideas have a very clear limit to growth in Chile.” Partly because, unlike Argentina, we have one a much smaller government, and also a feeling of boredom with the abuses of the free market, such as collusion and non-payment of taxes.”
Edwards, the most visible face of the group, considers Argentine President Javier Milei “a reference in Latin America.” “I support Milei,” he tells EL PAÍS. But he adds: “Argentina and Chile are very different. Milei proposes to make the economy dollar, in Chile… please! He proposes burning down the central bank, and here it works. “These are different situations.”
Senator Juan Castro, also part of the group, refuses to call himself a libertarian: “I don't like the word because it copies Milei. I'm talking about freedom. I love talking about roots, values and principles that we had in the 80s, when respect was very important, the word had value and the common good united us. “I understand that I like the free market, but with regulation I don’t like the exploitation of those who have more.”
Castro was active at Renovación Nacional between 2018 and 2019. Edwards, on the other hand, did the same between 2009 and 2016.
I am pleased with the completion of the process.
The current constitution will be strengthened.
Octubrism is over and the parties that set these processes in motion are weakened.
In 2024 and 2025 we will have to put up with candidates who commit not to start a new constitutional process.
— Social Christian Party (@psc_cristiano) December 19, 2023
Party or movement?
According to Rojo Edwards, there are four groups of the right in Chile: “The conservatives, who care about family issues or the defense of the unborn; the Republicans in the sense of respect for the law and the demand for greater security; the libertarian liberals, freedom of choice, smaller government, lowering taxes and independence of intermediate bodies; and the most patriotic: they defend customs and sovereignty.”
“What the Republican Party does not represent today is the defense of freedom. And that is why he was able to present a draft constitution in which he forgot the subsidiary state and proposed a social constitutional state without defining it in order to limit it. On the other hand, our proposal was always a subsidiary state,” he explains.
Of the movement, Edwards says: “We have to do something with all the people who no longer have representation. It can be done through a front, a movement or a party. The Social Christian Party or Avancemos Chile in the north are also on the right.”
But Senator Juan Castro does not consider the group a party. “There are people, former Republicans, who want to start a party. I'm not in this race. “This movement can be a kind of obstacle to the return to the values and principles of the center-right that we should not have lost.” “When we create a party, egos of the political class arise.” And he adds: “I “I'm not a right-wing extremist, but rather common sense.” “I'm a person who comes from an environment that doesn't belong to a political elite.”
Rojo Edwards, leader of the movement, explains that the ideas that inspire him are “to limit and shrink the power of the state; have a fully independent central bank; a full respect for the law; Equality before the law; and that there is no privileged group.” And he emphasizes: “There must be equal opportunities and equality before the law.” If you work harder than me, it's good that you have the fruits of your labor.”
“Among libertarians there are anarcho-capitalists who do not believe in the role of the state, and I am not an anarcho-capitalist. There are minarchists who believe in the role of the state only in the interests of justice. And then there are the libertarian liberals, with whom I have a greater affinity: we need to reduce the size of the state, increase the amount of resources in the productive sector, and constitutions are also a way to limit the power of the state so that there is autonomy the intermediate organs. I don't believe, as some libertarians do, that taxes are theft, but they need to be reduced. I am also against property taxes and that there should be no contributions, at least for the first home [tributos sobre un bien raíz]“, he explains.
Juan Castro adds: “It should be a movement that defends freedom, the principles and values of the political sector.” Because people who are part of the Chile Vamos and Republicans do not defend them. “That’s my biggest concern.”