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An emergency meeting was held in La Moneda for almost two hours. The reason? discuss the postponement of the multiple elections of April 10 and 11. Although the constituents, councilors, mayors and governors were scheduled to be elected in those two days, the high rates of Coronavirus infections put on the table the idea that the elections would change the date.
Around 9:15 p.m. President Sebastián Piñera spoke at La Moneda and confirmed the rumors that had sounded during the week: the elections will be postponed.
For that, Piñera said, A draft constitutional reform will be presented for the elections to be held on May 15 and 16. Meanwhile, if the project is approved, the second round of the governor’s elections would be held on July 4, the same day as the presidential primary elections.
“Although, like so many others, this has been a very difficult decision, but we must take it and we have the full conviction that it is the best for Chile and the Chileans,” said the President.
According to government calculations, it is intended that before the elections of May 15 and 16, some 9.3 million people are already vaccinated, “In other words, those over 40 years old with one dose, and 7.3 million people, those over 50 years old, with two doses.”
The President highlighted two main reasons for carrying out such a postponement: protecting health and ensuring participation in the elections.
“Protecting the health and life of our compatriots has always been our first priority and commitment”He said, highlighting that it is a “decision that interprets the majority of citizens.”
“In Chile, this outbreak has meant a greater number of infected people and more hospitalized patients, which has demanded the maximum from the medical staff and the capacity of our Health System,” he explained.
“Given this situation, highlighted the President, the Council of Covid 19 Experts, the Ministry of Health, the Medical College and the medical community in general have raised with force and clarity the need to postpone the elections. We always listen to you and I appreciate your permanent concern and commitment to Chile and the Chileans. In addition, this decision reflects the will of the majority of citizens ”, he stated.
Regarding the second point, Piñera said that the high rates of infections in recent weeks, and the feeling of insecurity for them, “It inhibits many from going to vote,” which removes greater participation and may question the legitimacy of the process.
Regarding how this may affect the candidates, the President said he was aware of the “problems and difficulties for many” of them, but that he had no doubt that they shared the criterion that “we must always prioritize health.”
At the end, he reported that this Monday the Political Committee will be in Congress to begin talks with the parties so that the reform is approved as soon as possible.
Senate President Yasna Provoste indicated through social networks that “the postponement of the elections requires solutions that provide guarantees to all citizens. In addition, health and economic measures that give meaning to this change. Otherwise we will find ourselves in 5 weeks with the same or worse situation ”.
He added: “That is why I have called for a broad dialogue of all opposition parties and movements, including those without parliamentary representation. The meeting will be virtual, tomorrow Monday at 9.00 am. Presidents, general secretaries and heads of benches of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies and Deputies are summoned ”.
The president of the Lower House, Diego Paulsen He expressed that he reiterated “our commitment from the Chamber to process all the initiatives that allow us to carry out the next elections safely. Tomorrow we will coordinate a meeting with the Senate table to expedite all the necessary reforms ”.
The deputy and electoral expert Pepe Auth, He wrote on his Twitter account that “President Piñera’s problem is that nothing guarantees that May will not be the same or worse than April. I will propose in parliamentary debate the option of doing them now but in 3 days with time slots for each age group and taking the tables to open spaces ”.
The presidential candidate of the PC, the mayor of Recoleta Daniel Jadue Meanwhile, he expressed his opinion on the social network: “The absolute failure of the government in the face of the pandemic forces the elections to be postponed. It is the result of vacation leave, forced normalization, return to classes and the lack of support for families so that they could take care of themselves ”.
Senator Ximena Rincón, president of the DC, He said that, “the postponement of elections requires that we take charge of the real problem: the lives and health of the people. Health and economic measures are needed to address the problem. If it is not done, the situation will be the same or worse in May ”.
