Chilean President Gabriel Boric. Photo: El País.
According to local media, the “Against” vote won in 13 regions, while “In Favor” only won in Maule, Ñuble, and La Araucanía.
Chile’s Electoral Service (Servel) reported that the “Against” won the constitutional referendum held this Sunday, December 17. The electoral event was held in Chile, in which a constitutional text prepared by the right and the extreme right was presented to the citizens for examination.
The electoral authority reported through social media that, with 96.30% of the votes counted, 55.76% of voters (6,810,716 votes) rejected the proposed Constitution prepared by the Constitutional Council. Meanwhile, it was supported by 44.24% (5,405,055 votes) of voters.
With this outcome, Servel reported that of over 15 million registered voters, 12,951,763 participated in the referendum. Of that total, 12,303,920 were valid votes, while null votes totaled 478,675, and blank votes amounted to 169,168.
According to local media, the “Against” vote won in 13 regions, while “In favor” only won in Maule, Ñuble, and La Araucanía. At 7:00 p.m. local time, 355,536 requests to excuse themselves from voting had been registered in Carabineros Corps offices.
The rejection of the constitutional text proposed by the Republican Party and the traditional far-right allows the continuation of the Constitution promulgated in 1980 during the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990), imposed by blood and fire after the military coup against socialist President Salvador Allende.
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Although the majority of citizens rejected a constitutional text considered regressive regarding rights, this maintains the 1980 Constitution. The Constitution is the foundation of Chile’s neoliberal model, the current economic order, and profound social inequalities.
The demand raised during the social uprising of 2019 for Chile to have a new Law of Laws drawn up from a Constituent Assembly that represents all the people and their historical struggles remains unrealized.
For many, Chilean President Gabriel Boric’s lack of leadership is to blame for the dead end that is Chile’s constitutional ambitions and demands. Analysts expect frustration after the failed constitutional change project will bring new demands that will re-emerge in a few years when social friction brings back mass protests demanding a constitutional change.
A proposed constitutional text closer to grassroots demands was rejected during a referendum held in September 2022, when nearly 62% of voters, out of over 13 million, voted “Against,” and approximately 38% voted “In favor.”
(Telesur) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SF
