(Bloomberg) — Chile President Gabriel Boric pledged to push through reforms, recognizing that scant progress has been made in addressing social discontent as the nation braces for violence marking the anniversary of the 2019 social uprising.
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The government must end the “drought” in legislative changes through greater dialogue, meeting the demands that sparked the worst violence in Chile since the 1973-1990 dictatorship, Boric said Tuesday from the presidential palace in Santiago.
“Today we have a new opportunity to build the bases of a more just and dignified society,” said the former student leader who took over the presidency in March of this year. “This is the moment to act.”
After 30 years of steady growth and increasing prosperity, Chilean society was shaken by a massive wave of protests and riots starting on Oct. 18, 2019 that left a third of supermarkets in the country ransacked and the metro system in Santiago decimated. Yet, despite an attempt to rewrite the constitution and the arrival of Boric’s left-wing government, little has changed in terms of addressing the causes of unrest.
“We still haven’t established the reforms that solve the weakness in social rights,” Boric said. “That’s what the people tell us permanently in the streets.”
Last month, voters rejected a progressive, new constitution backed by Boric that was written in response to the 2019 protests. Lawmakers are currently engaged in slow-moving talks on how to revive the constitutional process.
“We know that Chileans want us to carry out reforms,” Boric said. “But, they aren’t giving a blank check.”
Social tensions have been exacerbated by the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Boric added.
The president said his administration’s tax reform, which is currently in congress, will finance social programs, and that a forthcoming pension overhaul will guarantee better retirement payouts. At the same time, his administration is pushing a proposal to reduce the working week.
Boric’s remarks come days after a Cadem poll showed his approval rating diving to 27%, the lowest level of his presidency. The 36-year-old leader has come under fire over a weak economy and rising crime.
Indeed, many stores and schools nationwide plan to close their doors early on Tuesday in anticipation of street violence. The municipal government of downtown Santiago, where the presidential palace and government ministries are located, has asked residents to avoid putting trash out for collection amid fears it could be used to build street barricades.
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