From Trump adviser to key figure of the eviction in the ANFP: the turns of the last director that Moreno had left

“The internet does not connect me. The signal is dropping. Hello, do you hear me? That way, yes? ”Says a nervous Sebastián Moreno, from his home. It is Wednesday, May 6, in the afternoon, and the ANFP president, at this point renounced by word, tries to connect with Zoom to hold a meeting that will define his future at ANFP.

Among those invited to the meeting is Marcos Kaplún (78), today the only surviving director of his period. The same one that on May 27 will be just one year old at his table. The 78-year-old gentleman, little friend of the conflicts, who married Mirtha Priewer, with whom he had three children: Mariana (53), Myriam (48) and Marcelo (44). The grandfather of five grandchildren. The one who worked as a real estate advisor to Donald Trump in South America during 2007 to 2015. “I advised Trump on investments. I got him a place to make the Trump towers, in Punta del Este, Uruguay. In Chile, we tried to do it, but we didn’t get land, “he said a few years ago to La Tercera. When she went against the Latinos, I remember her daughter Ivanka a lot, because I converted her to Judaism, “he added on that occasion.

Today, the businessman is the only member of the table that Moreno has left. Jacques Albagli, Andrés Fazio, Aldo Corradossi, Martín Iribarne, Raúl Jélvez and Arturo Aguayo are no longer there. Despite attempts by different clubs to remove him from his post, Kaplún has remained firm. He has no intention of resigning.

To the agreed conversation, the invited clubs are gradually joining in, seeking to define the lawyer’s departure. Ricardo Pini (Unión La Calera), Felipe Muñoz (Rangers), Jorge Contador (Coquimbo) and Leonardo Zúñiga (Melipilla) complete the windows of the application that allows scheduling virtual meetings in times of pandemic.

After several minutes, the internet connection of the former president of Cobresal begins to improve. The drawbacks, however, appear unexpectedly. The Coquimbo president’s mascot doesn’t stop barking. At times, “Ya po’, Sebastián, becomes unbearable. What happens? Even the dog is getting bored ”, says one of the assistants who tries to relax the environment a little.

In that appointment, one of the many at this point, Moreno’s exit began to be traced. That day lines were drawn for the resignation of the former president of Cobresal to be executed, which, one day later, would be ratified: this Thursday the Council of Presidents will be summoned to officially approve his resignation. Elections will also be called for next July 30.

The truth is that according to those attending the meeting on Wednesday, the lawyer went through different states of mind. At times he was obfuscated, not wanting to budge. At other times he accepted the criticism, and said he was willing to step aside for the good of the industry. He went on to say that he could go on alone, with no director at his side. A constant rise and fall.

At all times, Marcos Kaplún acted as mediator. The businessman took an unexpected role. He was in charge of landing Moreno, of making him understand that the situation was not for more. Days before, inclusive, he anticipated that his situation had no escape: he had to resign yes or yes. “The two meetings were tough, but luckily we made it to port,” says the sole survivor of the table at Third.

Kaplún’s unexpected leadership surprised the 33 professional teams. He mediated with the rebellion group, with the governability group and with Moreno. Everyone consulted him, and thanked him for staying calm. He managed to seal the agreement that they were waiting for.

It is that the Commercial Engineer of the University of Chile was a key piece to convince Moreno to step aside. And he was also the one who sheltered him in his most difficult moments. They talked about five times a day. It reassured him, assuming that the future that awaited him was outside Quilín. Due to his advanced age, since Vitacura, Kaplún made all the movements. He spoke to the different sides. He asked for calm. In his mind, after Iribarne and Aguayo’s resignation, the idea of ​​forming a unit list grew.

La Tercera spoke with the man who brought peace to Chilean soccer. “It has been a very difficult 10 days in which only my mettle, perseverance and experience allowed me to reach a good port. He was very clear about what he wanted to achieve and that it consisted of having a paved route for the ANFP to transit normally for the tranquility of the clubs, ”he begins by saying. “My 64-year experience as a leader and especially my last role as president of all the Jewish clubs in Latin America (Clam) served me very well. where I was until July 2019 managing 122,500 members from 25 countries, “he adds.

Kaplún became, from one day to the next, the transversal man on the Quilín board of directors. He received calls from the rebellion, from the governability and from Moreno himself. His ideas were beginning to emerge: “I proposed on Thursday the 30th, after the Councils of Presidents were suspended, to create a dialogue table with representatives of the opposition clubs, of the clubs that were for governance and the board. Unfortunately it was not carried out and things rushed this week, “he says. Today, suddenly and with a thud, Kaplún took the ANFP flag. Without wanting to, his cell phone became the outlet for the national clubs.

The resignation petitions

Different presidents called Kaplún to leave office. The idea of ​​the helmsmen, mainly of the rebellion, was to leave Moreno alone. They sought to tire him out, choke him with pressure. His response, however, was negative. On Saturday, requests to leave office escalated.

According to his close friends, the businessman stands out for his loyalty to the projects. In addition, with a sense of humor, he tried to explain its continuity. “He told us the Galician joke. He said that if all the Galicians kidnapped a family, then the family had no one to negotiate the rescue with, “says a helmsman, who even went so far as to offer Kaplún the presidency of the ANFP, something that is far from the projects that interest the businessman.

Kaplún, however, did not want to leave anything to chance. He knows that the tension between the clubs multiplies as soon as the hours advance in the face of the idea that Moreno does not comply with the pact he agreed to. Despite this, the leader is confident that the helmsman will announce his resignation this Thursday, as promised.

To calm the environment, the strong man of the ANFP today sent a message to the same presidents who asked him to resign. He did it on WhatsApp. “I am very happy to have been able to help the 33 clubs agree to hold the council on the 14th and the election on July 30th. They have to understand that I had to stay there in order to get to this. Experience is good for something. You can rest assured that I will be especially concerned that all the agreements are fulfilled because I am interested in the good of this activity that we love so much ”.

Without waiting for it, the mythical leader of the University of Chile took the reins of Chilean soccer. Moreno listens to him, and he knows it. He wants to remain linked to the activity, despite the fact that his children recommend that he not be angry. “I hope to continue working on the path of football that has more thorns than roses,” he closes.