Chilean Opposition Regrets Pinera's Resistance to Constitutional Reform

Opposition leaders insisted on the need for a new Magna Carta to the ministers of President Piñera.

The parties of the Chilean opposition bemoaned the unwillingness of the government to advance a constitutional reform, in the face of which they warn that without this point “dialogue will be irrelevant”.

This Thursday the leaders of some of the parties in opposition to Sebastián Piñera met with the Interior Ministers, Gonzalo Blumel; of the Treasury, Ignacio Briones; and Labor, María José Zaldívar to discuss the social demands that led to recent protests.

Opposition leaders insisted Piñera ministers the need for a new Magna Carta.

This considering that the Chilean president previously admitted that he was not against a constitutional change, although he emphasized that this was not a priority.

The leader of the Party for Democracy ( PPD ) former Chilean Foreign Minister Heraldo Muñoz, said that “it is absolutely essential to hear from the government, a clear word regarding a new constitution, as the Supreme Court has said that a new one is necessary, and we have to open ourselves to a Constituent Assembly, to a plebiscite, for the people to decide.”

COMUNICADO / Heraldo Muñoz al Gobierno: “Las palabras ya no valen, hay que crear hechos. Estamos abiertos al diálogo, queremos construir un país en paz y con cambios sociales fundamentales, pero si no vemos señales claras, este diálogo será inconducente” https://t.co/uDlYIJDc3w pic.twitter.com/tU1WJcmlkl
— Partido Por la Democracia (@PPD_Chile) October 31, 2019

Upon leaving the meeting, Muñoz reiterated that if the government does not meet the main political and social demands, the dialogue will not be constructive; “if we do not see clear signals, this dialogue will have been insufficient, irrelevant.”

For his part, the representative of the Socialist Party, Álvaro Elizalde, said that “the government does not have the measure of what is happening in the country and is not yet aware of the enormous citizen unrest that has been expressed in the streets.”

Tras reunión en La Moneda, presidente del #PS, @alvaroelizalde, la calificó como insuficiente y aseguró que “el Gobierno no dimensiona lo que está aconteciendo en el país” pic.twitter.com/kVn01llESf
— Partido Socialista de Chile (@PSChile) October 31, 2019

Elizalde commented that constitutional reform is essential to drive the changes that most Chileans want to “replace this constitution, which is a straitjacket for the changes that Chileans demand, for a truly democratic one born in democracy; that’s why we have insisted on the plebiscite’s proposal,” he said.

For his part, the leader of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) Fuad Chahín, stressed the need for a Magna Carta that comes out of political, economic and social consensus.

For Deputy Catalina Pérez de Revolución Democrática (RD), demonstrations and protests in Chile will not cease if the government refuses to constitutional reform.

Una reunión entre partidos y el gobierno no va a solucionar los problemas del país. Las transformaciones de fondo solo pueden ser con la gente. Vinimos a dialogar, no a negociar, porque creemos firmemente en la defensa de los ddhh, una #NuevaConstitucion y agenda #NoMasAbusos pic.twitter.com/J4v3egozsr
— Catalina Pérez Diputada (@CatalinaPerezS) November 1, 2019

Massive protests in Chile since October 18 require the resignation of President Sebastián Piñera and the convening of a National Constituent Assembly to curb the social crisis in the country.

Featured image: Chileans remain in the streets demanding social, political and economic changes. | Photo: Reuters

Source URL: Telesur

Translated by JRE/EF