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Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
President Gabriel Boric enters last year as Chile appears to shift right
SANTIAGO, Chile, June 2 (UPI) -- President Gabriel Boric delivered his fourth and final annual address to Chile's National Congress, beginning the last year of his term with just 22% approval amid political fragmentation, public security concerns and corruption scandals that involve his left-wing coalition. In his speech Monday, Boric struck a self-critical tone while defending key accomplishments, including reducing the workweek to 40 hours and raising the minimum wage to the equivalent of $530 per month. He also highlighted the pension reform passed in January, which represents one of the most significant changes to Chile's retirement system in more than four decades. While it fell short of his original pledge to eliminate private pension fund administrators, the reform established a mixed system that combines individual savings with a solidarity-based component. Boric made several controversial announcements during the address, including plans to convert Punta Peuco prison -- where inmates convicted of human rights violations under Chile's military dictatorship are held -- into a standard facility. He also called for an open legislative debate on a bill introduced by his government to decriminalize abortion up to 14 weeks of pregnancy. On foreign policy, Boric repeated his criticism of Israel's military actions in Gaza and directed officials to diversify Chile's defense trade partners, aiming to reduce reliance on Israeli arms suppliers. He also pledged to fast-track a bill banning imports from illegally occupied Palestinian territories, condemned Hamas and called for the release of hostages still being held. Over the past two years, right-wing and far-right parties have steadily gained ground, placing Chile on track for a presidential election in which conservative candidates currently lead. After the 2019 social uprising that pushed voters to the left, polling now indicates a reversal of the conditions that led to Boric's 2021 victory. According to a Cadem poll, 63% of Chileans believe the country is worse off than it was before the protests. Public concerns now center on irregular migration, rising crime, public safety and economic stagnation -- issues that Chile's right-wing opposition has used to intensify its criticism of Boric's administration. In local elections held in October, right-wing parties saw historic gains, increasing their number of mayoralties from 87 to 122. As a result, the percentage of Chileans governed by right-wing mayors rose to 37.4% from 21.6%. Looking ahead to the presidential election scheduled for Nov. 16, Evelyn Matthei, the candidate from Chile's traditional right-wing bloc, leads in voter preference. She is followed by José Antonio Kast, the far-right leader who lost to Boric in the 2021 election. While the outlook for the ruling coalition appears difficult, the same polls showing Matthei and Kast ahead also reveal that 47% of Chilean voters remain undecided.
UPI
a day ago
- Politics
- UPI
President Gabriel Boric enters last year as Chile appears to shift right
Chilean President Gabriel Boric speaks in the National Congress' Hall of Honor in Valparaiso on Monday, giving an overview of his term. Boric met with his cabinet at the Cerro Castillo Palace in Vina del Mar before what was be his final public address to the nation from Congress before Chile holds general elections in November. Photo by Cristóbal Basaune/EPA-EFE SANTIAGO, Chile, June 2 (UPI) -- President Gabriel Boric delivered his fourth and final annual address to Chile's National Congress, beginning the last year of his term with just 22% approval amid political fragmentation, public security concerns and corruption scandals that involve his left-wing coalition. In his speech Monday, Boric struck a self-critical tone while defending key accomplishments, including reducing the workweek to 40 hours and raising the minimum wage to the equivalent of $530 per month. He also highlighted the pension reform passed in January, which represents one of the most significant changes to Chile's retirement system in more than four decades. While it fell short of his original pledge to eliminate private pension fund administrators, the reform established a mixed system that combines individual savings with a solidarity-based component. Boric made several controversial announcements during the address, including plans to convert Punta Peuco prison -- where inmates convicted of human rights violations under Chile's military dictatorship are held -- into a standard facility. He also called for an open legislative debate on a bill introduced by his government to decriminalize abortion up to 14 weeks of pregnancy. On foreign policy, Boric repeated his criticism of Israel's military actions in Gaza and directed officials to diversify Chile's defense trade partners, aiming to reduce reliance on Israeli arms suppliers. He also pledged to fast-track a bill banning imports from illegally occupied Palestinian territories, condemned Hamas and called for the release of hostages still being held. Over the past two years, right-wing and far-right parties have steadily gained ground, placing Chile on track for a presidential election in which conservative candidates currently lead. After the 2019 social uprising that pushed voters to the left, polling now indicates a reversal of the conditions that led to Boric's 2021 victory. According to a Cadem poll, 63% of Chileans believe the country is worse off than it was before the protests. Public concerns now center on irregular migration, rising crime, public safety and economic stagnation -- issues that Chile's right-wing opposition has used to intensify its criticism of Boric's administration. In local elections held in October, right-wing parties saw historic gains, increasing their number of mayoralties from 87 to 122. As a result, the percentage of Chileans governed by right-wing mayors rose to 37.4% from 21.6%. Looking ahead to the presidential election scheduled for Nov. 16, Evelyn Matthei, the candidate from Chile's traditional right-wing bloc, leads in voter preference. She is followed by José Antonio Kast, the far-right leader who lost to Boric in the 2021 election. While the outlook for the ruling coalition appears difficult, the same polls showing Matthei and Kast ahead also reveal that 47% of Chilean voters remain undecided.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Chile president to ramp up decarbonization, pressure on Israel as term winds down
Chile's President Gabriel Boric speaks during his annual address at the National Congress building in Valparaiso, Chile June 1, 2025. REUTERS/Rodrigo Garrido Chile's President Gabriel Boric speaks during his annual address at the National Congress building in Valparaiso, Chile June 1, 2025. REUTERS/Rodrigo Garrido Chile president to ramp up decarbonization, pressure on Israel as term winds down VALPARAISO, Chile - Chile's President Gabriel Boric said on Sunday that he will accelerate renewable energy efforts and step up pressure against Israel over its war in Gaza among other initiatives during his government's last nine months in office. In a wide-ranging three-hour speech from Congress in the coastal city of Valparaiso that marked his last annual address, Boric also discussed crime, infrastructure, the economy and abortion rights. In comments that sparked the largest amount of cheers and jeers from opposite sides of Congress, Boric said he will introduce a law to ban imports from what he called "illegally occupied territories" and back efforts by Spain for an arms embargo against Israel. Boric, an outspoken critic of Israel, had recently recalled military personnel from Chile's embassy in the country and summoned the ambassador for questioning. Chile's government will also introduce an "accelerated decarbonization" bill that aims to boost investment in renewable energy sources, help end coal-powered thermoelectric plants and move the country's 2040 goal to decarbonize the electric grid up to 2035. Boric added that a bill to speed up the permitting process for new projects was weeks away from being approved, a long-awaited request by miners, renewable energy companies and other investors. Its goal is to cut permitting times by 30% to 70%, Boric said. "Investment projects won't develop to their full potential if we don't modernize and speed up permitting," Boric said, while also touting his plan to expand lithium mining, led by state copper giant Codelco. Critics have rebuked Boric for not making major reforms he promised as a candidate, and for failing to see through a rewrite of the dictatorship-era constitution that was knocked back twice by voters. Boric appeared to recognize the complaints, while defending his record. "Have we achieved everything we wanted, with the depth we wanted? No, but we have made progress in that direction, with the conditions under which we had to govern," he said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Chile government proposes to legalize abortion up to 14 weeks
SANTIAGO: Chile's government said Wednesday it had introduced a bill in Congress to legalize abortions up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, a key pledge of left-wing President Gabriel Boric during his 2022 election campaign. In Chile, abortions are only permitted for three reasons: a threat to the life of the mother, serious malformation of the foetus, or rape. 'Thirty-six years after therapeutic abortions (terminations due to medical necessity) were banned in our country... we are opening the debate in Congress,' Minister for Women Antonia Orellana told reporters. She was referring to dictator Augusto Pinochet's 1989 repeal of a law allowing abortions on health grounds, which ushered in a total ban on terminations for over 25 years. The bill unveiled by the government on Wednesday comes a year after Boric announced plans to decriminalize all abortions. His minority Frente Amplio (Broad Front) party faces an uphill battle to get the bill through parliament, with the conservative opposition vehemently opposed to expanding abortion rights. Orellana admitted it would be 'naive' to think that abortions would be legal before Boric's presidency ends in March 2026. Decriminalizing abortion under all circumstances is a long-standing demand of feminist groups in Chile. A poll by the Centre for Public Studies showed, however, that only 34 percent of Chileans back the right to abortions regardless of circumstances, whereas 50 percent believe terminations should only be allowed in special cases. Boric, who became Chile's youngest-ever leader in 2021 aged 35, failed in his bid to put expanded abortion rights in a new proposed constitution in 2022. Voters however rejected the draft charter.
RTHK
14-05-2025
- Business
- RTHK
China, Chile should boost cooperation: Xi
China, Chile should boost cooperation: Xi Gabriel Boric, bottom second left, is in Beijing for the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-Celac Forum. Photo: Reuters President Xi Jinping on Wednesday said China and Chile should enhance their comprehensive strategic partnership, during a meeting with his Chilean counterpart Gabriel Boric. Xi said the two countries should deepen cooperation in fields including agriculture, industrial investment, infrastructure and green minerals, according to Xinhua News Agency. The president also noted that China and Chile should create a model of common development between China and Latin American countries and deepen cooperation in multiple fields, including artificial intelligence and the digital economy. For his part, Boric said Chile is willing to work with Beijing to firmly safeguard multilateralism and the authority of the United Nations, insist on resolving differences through dialogue, and jointly uphold international fairness and justice. The two sides have also signed bilateral cooperation documents on the economy, publishing, and inspection and quarantine. Boric is in Beijing for the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-Celac Forum. (Additional reporting by Reuters)
