“Instead of discussing about the approval or rejection, I prefer to do it about how to improve pensions, health and education”



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Already recovered from COVID, after being infected in the middle of the outbreak that occurred at the Coquimbo Hospital a few weeks ago, Oscar Tapia, regional president of the UDI, wanted to analyze the future electoral challenges that the country and the region will face, especially the closest, the plebiscite of October 25, where Chile will approve or reject the drafting of a new constitution.

– How was your experience with COVID 19?

“Fortunately I had mild symptoms, it was like having the flu. The first days I felt fever, headache, very intense muscle aches and that was when I notified my headquarters and they sent me in isolation to my home and the respective taking of the PCR. As the days passed, I completely lost my sense of smell, which I still have not recovered. But I am grateful that everything was mild, unfortunately there are people, colleagues, officials and relatives of these who have not suffered the same fate. I send a big hug and a lot of strength to each of them.

We enter fully into the political arena, where clearly Tapia is passionate. The official campaign period for the plebiscite has already begun and some timid initiatives have been seen, mainly through social networks and digital media, both in favor of approval and rejection. In a very particular context such as a pandemic, and in the case of our region with the three largest communes, where 60% of the electoral roll resides in mandatory quarantine ”.

– A few weeks before the plebiscite, how are the UDI and Chile Vamos articulating to face this political scenario?

“I think that in Chile Vamos we have a great advantage, we may have differences on the road, some are for approval, others, the vast majority, for rejection, but regarding the content that we want to maintain or improve of the constitution, there is a broad consensus. Unlike the left, where you see a kind of montonera, they all agree with the path, but at the end of it they don’t know what they want ”.

– In practice, is there an articulation or command of Chile Vamos for the option of rejection?

“That’s right, but it’s not a Chile Vamos command. Rather, I would say that Chile Vamos joined a command of many independent and citizen organizations that defend the legitimate option of rejection, managing to articulate ourselves very well. We recently held a regional digital meeting with very good results. The motto of the UDI is Reject to change Chile ”.

– But if you win approval, and start to write a new magna carta, what do you think are the contents that should be there?

“I believe that the family as the fundamental nucleus of society should be maintained yes or yes, yes, perhaps we should expand the concept of family and that be registered in a new constitution, today there is more awareness that there are different types of family. I would also like to acknowledge the minorities of the country, I think that is very relevant, as well as the native peoples. On the other hand, the defense of freedom, private property, freedom of expression and of course, maintaining the autonomy of the central bank ”.

– However, some political sectors speak of ending the central bank and the constitutional court …

“I do not quite understand the obsession of the left with it, if these institutions have done the country so well. The central bank has been a success of the 1980 constitution, and regarding the Constitutional Court, I think there are things to improve, but I would not remove it for any reason, it is our watchdog that the constitution is complied with.

The truth is that instead of arguing about approval and rejection, which I consider to be increasingly irrelevant, I would like to be discussing how to improve pensions, health or education. I think that’s where the debate should be focusing. Regardless of the result of October 25, whether it be approved or rejected, that day we begin a new political cycle, where I hope dialogue and respect prevail ”.

– What do you think of the emergence of Pablo Longueira, could he become an eventual candidate to lead the UDI and participate in the constituent process?

I am in favor of a unitary list to lead the UDI. I believe that the new political cycle that will begin next October 25 at night requires a cohesive, coherent, strengthened UDI with a great capacity to influence. There is no time to lose for that. And with respect to Pablo, I think he will be a great contribution as a possible constituent and what I rescue the most from his latest speeches is to push the UDI to take center stage in the constituent debate ”.

– So, Longueira, Hoffman or Salaberry to preside over the UDI?

“I insist, unitary list, which is not necessarily the same as consensus list. What I would like is to allow ample space for generational change ”.

– You always speak of generational change, in fact, you spoke in favor of the law that limits re-elections despite the fact that a large part of your party opposed …

“So is. I believe that the leading role in this new political cycle belongs to our generation. Our grandparents faced the crisis that caused popular unity and then the military government lived through, our parents lived through the transition stage that has already ended, my generation has the responsibility of this new stage of the country ”.

– At the end of November there will be primaries for regional governor elections. From Chile Vamos, the name of the current president of CORE Adriana Peñafiel and also CORE, Marco Sulantay, sounds strong. There is also the option of primaries for mayors. How do you see that scenario?

“The primaries seem to me to be a legitimate candidate selection mechanism. We at UDI are 100% at stake for Marco Sulantay’s candidacy, we are working in an orderly, cohesive and mystical way behind his primary candidacy, we are sure that we will have a very good result ”.

– And in municipal matters, do you see any commune with a primary election?

“It is too early to be sure. But I would like to say that even though I consider them legitimate, I believe that, due to the current context of the country and the region, we must seek, like Chile Vamos, to avoid as many primaries as possible. There are plenty of health, economic and political arguments for that, imagine adding more elections than we already have and with the coronavirus in between, I think it is pure common sense. In fact, I am in favor of avoiding the primaries hopefully in the 15 communes of the region. The UDI is fully available to converse and reach agreements behind the best candidates, the UDI is a generous party with a great sense of duty. When Chile Vamos obtained such good results in presidential, parliamentary and CORE matters in the last election, it was because we acted with a great sense of unity. I hope the same prevails today ”.



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