A government can never feel defeated when the people speak out, says the president of Chile

Inequality has hampered Chile’s path to development and is a latent threat to democracysaid this Tuesday Gabriel Boric, president of that South American country during his participation in the debate of the UN General Assembly.

In what was his first speech before the plenary session since he took office in his country last March, Boric acknowledged that Chile is one of the most unequal nations in the world and he noted that the social fracture that this has generated has been an impediment in the construction of a freer and fairer future.

The president explained that although his country has achieved outstanding economic growth and human development rates, it faced a very deep economic and social crisis that led to the outbreak in 2019.

That mobilization it was not a coincidencebut the consequence of innumerable stories of pain and postponement that were incubating and affecting the heart of society, he pointed out, referring to the protests in which Chileans expressed their discomfort in the face of inequality and abuse.

It can happen in any country

“And it can happen in your countries as well,” Boric warned world leaders. “That is why I invite you to anticipate in the search for greater social justice. Better distribute wealth and power it must go hand in hand with sustainable growth. And it is possible,” she assured.

The president of Chile spoke of the violence that occurred in the context of the protests, such as the burning of subway stations, and denounced the uncontrolled repression by State forces, which left more than 400 people dead, wounded and with ocular trauma, “a serious violation of human rights that must be repaired.”

Boric pointed out that equality, justice and freedom are claims that are increasingly supported throughout the world. “The protection and promotion of human rights, decent work, universal social protection and the fight against the climate crisis are today universal demands”, he indicated.

a new constitution

In the case of Chile, he continued, in order to address that claim in a peaceful and democratic manner, the main political forces agreed to draft a new Constitution that would lay the foundations for a social contract that would respond democratically to the demands of citizens. The agreement obtained the support of 80% of the voters in a plebiscite and the Magna Carta was recently presented to the population, which rejected it by 62%.

Today, Chile is looking for new formulas to build this meeting place, said Boric, who does not consider this result a defeat for the government.

“With all humility I tell you: a government can never feel defeated when the people speak out. In democracy, the popular word is sovereign and is the guide for all government”, he pointed out.

What the results of the plebiscite showed is that Chileans demand changes without putting their current achievements at risk, a better future without creating new insecurities. “A future of change with stability”.

He added that one of humanity’s great challenges is precisely the construction of true democracies that listen to the citizenry.

“The claim that citizens make with increasing force towards the so-called representative liberal democracies cannot be underestimated, but must be faced with more democracy, never with less,” he stressed.

democracy lesson

The president considered that the Chilean people gave a lesson in democracy to the demand that their democratic government live up to their demandsand added that the challenge now is to live up to them.

“How to govern in the 21st century: mobilizing the capacities and wisdom of our societies, not trying to replace them”, he emphasized and made clear his conviction that Chile will soon have a Constitution that fully satisfies its citizens.

Before finishing his participation, Boric reiterated that the path to face the problems that afflict societies is paved with more democracy and not less; encouraging participation and not restricting it; encouraging dialogue and not censoring it. “And above all, respecting those who think differently, incorporating their points of view and understanding that the having different opinions does not make us enemies”.

“The citizens who suffer the most from the consequences of societies built from segregation and abuse demand rights and security to live. That world of greater well-being, which we can only achieve with more democracy, this is the call that we all must heed”, concluded the president of Chile.