(Santiago de Chile) The President of Chile Gabriel Boric carried out a major cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, two days after the massive rejection of a new Constitution he supported, while clashes broke out between police and students demanding more means to teaching.
Updated yesterday at 4:16 p.m.
The Ministers of Interior, Health, Science, Energy, and the Secretary General of the Presidency have been replaced, some by more centrist personalities such as Carolina Toha, Interior, and Ana Lya Uriarte , at the General Secretariat, responsible for relations between the executive and Parliament.
Both had been ministers under the governments of former left-wing president Michelle Bachelet (2006-2010 and 2014-2018).
“This is perhaps, and I have no reason to hide it, one of the most politically difficult times that I have to face,” said Mr. Boric, in power since March 11, after the announcement of the reshuffle which aims to “give greater cohesion” to the government.
Carolina Toha occupies the key position of Minister of the Interior, formerly occupied by her father, José Toha under the socialist government of Salvador Allende (1970-1973), and replaces Izkia Siches, under fire from critics.
Giorgio Jackson, a close friend of President Boric from the benches of the university, moves from the General Secretariat of the Presidency to the Ministry of Social Development, which Jeanette Vega leaves after a controversy over a call made to the leader of a radical indigenous Mapuche group , Héctor Llaitul, now in detention.
At Health, Begoña Yarza, criticized for her management of the pandemic, is replaced by Ximena Aguilera.
Despite these changes, women are still well represented in his new government – he had promised parity when he was elected – with fifteen women and nine men.
Near the presidential palace of La Moneda, where the cabinet reshuffle was announced, a few incidents punctuated a gathering of students and high school students, the riot police using tear gas and water cannons.
PHOTO MARTIN BERNETTI, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
A few isolated incidents occurred between protesters and riot police, who used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd.
“And it will fall, and it will fall, Pinochet’s Constitution!” or even “There is money for the police, but not for studying!” chanted the demonstrators demanding more resources for education.
The Chileans rejected on Sunday by 61.9% the proposal for a new Constitution which aimed to replace that inherited from the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990).
It was to introduce new social rights, particularly in the areas of education, health and housing, recognize the rights of indigenous peoples and even the right to abortion.