Chile Constitutional Updates (July 20, 2022)
President Gabriel Boric announced that, in the event of a victory for the Rechazo in the constitutional plebiscite on September 4, he would call for a new constituent process that must be approved by Congress. The President's statements unsettled the official group Apruebo Dignidad and Socialismo Democrático and opened the debate La Tercera.
In response, President of the PS Paulina Vodanovic said we must “open ourselves to having a new process because it is what guarantees that we have a new Constitution; the formula of the process will have to be seen, because obviously it depends on a new agreement", Cooperativa reported. Natalia Pergientili, President of the PPD, assures that Boric's statements add uncertainty to the constituent process, says Cooperativa
Feedback survey, carried out between July 4 and 6, indicates a fall in the Apruebo option (34%) and a strengthening of the Rechazo option (52%), reports Ex Ante. The Cadem survey, carried out the second week of July, indicates that 52% of those surveyed would vote Rechazo (-1 point with respect to the previous survey), while 37% (+2 points) said that they would approve the constitutional proposal. 11% do not know or do not respond. CNN
President Boric and Minister Camila Vallejo assure that the first government cabinet reshuffle would be after the September plebiscite, reports El Mostrador
CONSTITUTION BRIEFS
The government printed 900 copies of the text of the proposal for the New Constitution and citizens stood in line to buy their copy. The text reached the number two position in the weekly ranking of best-selling non-fiction books.La Tercera
Multinational agencies McCann and Mediabrands are awarded $986 million from the government's information campaign for the plebiscite. The cost of the closing act of the Constitutional Convention cost 178 million pesos reports La Tercera
Former constituent Agustín Squella publishes "Notes of a constituent", a book that compiles anecdotes, criticisms and reflections on the experience in the Constitutional Convention, Ex Ante
Mapuche violent group assures that it will continue to act despite the new constitution: "Plurinationality is an empty aspiration", he says in Radio Biobio
Frente Amplio begins talks for a broad political agreement in Parliament, with a view to the implementation of the new constitutional text, post the September plebiscite. The management would include the opposition and the Democracia Cristiana reports La Tercera
Former constituent Elisa Loncon insists on declarations with incorrect information and says that land expropriation "will depend on who wants it, and if you don't want it, it won't happen", shows Emol
Right-wing coalition Chile Vamos proposes ten commitments to reform the Constitution if the Rechazo wins. The proposal includes consecrating a social and democratic state of law, changes to the health system, housing, pensions and education, constitutional recognition of indigenous peoples and a unitary and intercultural state. Partido Republicano subtracted from proposal according to La Tercera
17 parliamentarians registered with the Electoral Service, Servel, to campaign for the plebiscite. Twelve correspond to Apruebo and five to Rechazo reports La Tercera
MORE CHILE NEWS
Government presents tax reform and announces tax changes that would only affect higher income taxpayers, 3% of the total according to Ex Ante
Rise of the dollar: Central Bank carries out foreign exchange intervention and preventive provision of liquidity for an amount of up to US$25,000 million, and achieves a drop of almost $70 (Emol). The intervention is carried out after the dollar recorded the highest rise in history, despite the decision of the Central Bank to increase the Monetary Policy Rate by 75 basis points to leave it at 9.75% against the high -and historical- inflation that affects Chile (Emol).
The Government will deliver the Winter Bonus in August, estimating a total of 7,550,000 beneficiaries, with an approximate fiscal cost of US$ 1,000 million, reports Emol
Former President Sebastián Piñera remains silent regarding the constitutional plebiscite and aborts his trip to the United States to participate in SunValley 2022. His silence responds to the low profile that the former president seeks to maintain, so as not to prejudice the Rechazo option. To travel to the US, Piñera had to request authorization from Congress, which would place him at the center of the agenda according to Ex Ante
Nearly 50 crane drivers demonstrated in Plaza Italia, protesting for the high value of fuel according to Emol
Crisis in the Ministry of the Interior due to an error by the Legal Division that left them out as plaintiffs for the Huracán case implies new changes and restructuring in the legal team, according to La Tercera