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As it is almost Sunday custom, President Sebastián Piñera made a new appearance on television. This time he was interviewed by Argentine journalist Andrés Oppenheimer on CNN en Español. The President was consulted for the “Carnet Covid” initiative, his vision regarding the future of the economy and, of course, the plebiscite for a new Constitution, which, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was rescheduled for October , date of which there is also no certainty.
Oppenheimer began by asking about the document that will be delivered in Chile to those who have overcome the disease and that, according to the Government, accredits certain immunity against the coronavirus.
“We have devised this methodology that consists of applying not the PCR test, but the rapid test that identifies the immunoglobulin that can be C or G, and what it shows is whether or not that person has antibodies that are generated when the body faces coronavirus disease, “explained the President.
Piñera added that the issue of antibodies can be determined with “high probability” but not with certainty. “That person runs very little risk of getting it because he already had the disease and has already generated the antibodies,” said the President, arguing that the document intends that the person who obtains it “normalizes” his life quickly, that is, to return to work .
Postponement of the Plebiscite
The possibility of leaving nothing or changing the date of the constitutional plebiscite, rescheduled for October 25, is an idea that has been around in some sectors of Chile Come on, protected by the new scenario that has generated the pandemic of the coronavirus in the country .
It was already raised by UDI senator Juan Antonio Coloma and former interior minister Andrés Chadwick, who even pointed out that it is necessary to have an alternative or a “Plan B”. Today, the current head of that portfolio, Gonzalo blumel, even slipped the possibility of reevaluating the referendum based on the country’s health situation in October.
When asked about this controversy, Piñera defended the current Magna Carta and assured that in the last 30 years, Chile has had a very good time. “We reduced poverty, the middle class resurfaced, progress was made, and Chile came first in terms of per capita income and other indicators in the late 1990s,” he said.
Piñera said the government’s priority now is to protect health and income. But at the same time, “overcome the period of crisis”. In that sense, he said that “we are going to have to return to the postponed agenda” before the pandemic.
The President explained to the Argentine journalist that the constitutional process has just been postponed, because in the first instance it was April 26, however, the date coincided with the highest point of the pandemic.
“It was postponed to October but I think that perhaps the recession is going to be so great that this is an issue that perhaps will have to be discussed again,” said the head of state.
Of course, Piñera said that according to the calendar, so far the referendum is in October and also coincides with the municipal elections and a “very intense” calendar, with primaries, president elections, etc. “An electoral agenda awaits us in Chile,” he closed.
Piñera said that the normality of hugs and handshakes will be left behind for a while. In this sense, he predicted that the precautions of social distancing, hand washing, avoiding crowds and wearing a mask, for example, will remain. “I think this is going to last a long time,” he said of the effects of the pandemic. That is why their main concern is the impact on the economy.
“We have considered it very important to prevent the recession in Chile; with its consequences of unemployment, poverty, anguish, suffering and bankruptcy of companies; it affects as much as possible,” he added.
“We have to get used to living with the coronavirus and continue working, producing and meeting basic needs,” said the President.
According to Piñera, the post coronavirus world will be very different. Especially because of the oil crisis. “It will be very strong because there are many countries that are oil exporters. Let’s start with Venezuela, which has to face the coronavirus and the oil crisis,” he said.
The President insisted that the negative value of crude will hit countries like Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. However, he assured that in the case of Chile, which does not produce oil, but mostly imports, the country will be favored.
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