Campaigns intensify in Chile 15 days before the constitutional plebiscite

First modification: 08/20/2022 – 22:36Last modification: 08/20/2022 – 23:59

The massive march “I approve for the right to decent housing” called by social movements, took over the center of the Chilean capital with protesters who shouted and carried flags of ethnic groups such as the Whipala, of the Andean peoples, in support of the option ‘ I approve of the new Constitution.

The draft charter was drafted over a year by a 154-member Constitutional Convention. It seeks to replace the current one inherited from the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) with one that recognizes new rights and forms of national and state organization.

“This September 4 in Chile we are going to live a historic moment because we have the possibility of leaving behind the Constitution of the tyrant, the Constitution of Pinochet,” Karina Nohales, one of the spokespersons for the demonstration, told AFP.

Dozens of supporters of the approval also demonstrated in a bicycle caravan through Santiago, while in the modest municipality of La Pintana a call called the “Aprobazo” was prepared.

In the municipality of Puente Alto, south of Santiago, a concentration of women with Chilean flags and canvases that read “Not like that, I reject!” They declared themselves in favor of the ‘Rejection’ option of the draft constitution, which for them does not represent all Chileans.

“If the rejection wins, as we think it will, those who are going to carry out a new constitutional reform have to finally agree, this draft constitution is bad,” said right-wing Carol Bown, a former member of the Constitutional Convention .

Other adherents to the rejection came with flags and posters to Plaza Italia, the epicenter of the protests in Santiago, to demonstrate.

The campaign surrounding the plebiscite is being highly polarized

Chile is facing a tough electoral campaign with a lot of misinformation, mainly on social networks, but also with polls that give the victory to the option of rejecting the new Magna Carta.

“I am going to risk it for a Chile that has one for a new Constitution, whether it wins the Approval or the Rejection,” said President Gabriel Boric, meanwhile.

The Cadem Public House survey, one of the most recognized in Chile, gives Rejection as the winner (46%) over the I Approve option (37%), while Pulse Citizen gives Rejection 45.8% and 32.9% to approval.

This Saturday the last polls of the plebiscite were known since the electoral law prohibits publishing them 15 days before the election.