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Controversy caused the recent statements of the Minister of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, Consuelo Valdes, in relation to the 2021 budget to alleviate the severe economic crisis that the sector has suffered seven months ago as a result of the covid-19 pandemic.
“We have to be realistic: these resources (the annual budget) do not belong to the Ministry of Cultures, nor to this minister, nor to the State; they belong to all Chileans, “he explained in dialogue with CNN Chile, in relation to a campaign promoted by the unions that advocates a 1% of the budget for the cultural industry hit by the crisis.
“A weight that is placed on Culture, is because it is no longer placed in another program, in another need of the citizens, of the country”added Valdés, in statements that caused a heated debate on social networks.
In her speech, the minister defended government efforts to support artists and workers during this health crisis.
“The pandemic and the social outbreak in October have hit the cultural sector very unexpectedly and severely. What have we done as a ministry? We made a consultation in March, to find out what were the measures that in the opinion of groups, organizations and artists found that our ministry should lift to meet their demands and urgencies, “he said.
“We reviewed (economic) reassignments of activities that could not be carried out due to the pandemic, and thus we developed a series of measures, most of them programs that have already been implemented,” he added.
Along these lines, he highlighted the strategy adopted by the ministry: “What we were able to do were these calls, these special funds, we acquire cultural content, copyright “, he listed.
“Choosecultura.cl and Ondamedia.cl have benefited from this: we have given artists, creators, producers and actors a source of income. On the other hand, we have offered a tremendous offer of cultural content (to the public) ”, he added.
Regarding direct economic aid, without intermediaries, the minister was emphatic: “Social bonds … We do not have the legal powers to do so”he explained. On the other hand, he highlighted the emergency fund that was activated after the pandemic: “There is 15 billion for an emergency fund that the president has dedicated (exclusively) to Culture, that is unprecedented ”.
Regarding the 2021 budget, he was optimistic: “We are convinced that we have a good budget for the 2021 project, within the health, economic and unemployment context in the country (…). It has to be the ambition of the State of Chile that hopefully we will reach a budget of 1% “he pointed.
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