Chileans choose between Pinochet’s Constitution or an even more conservative one

More than 15 million chileans They began voting this Sunday to ratify or not a new constitutional proposal to replace the Magna Carta in force since the dictatorship and after rejecting in 2022 a first radically opposed and progressive initiative.

The new text, written by a majority of constituents from the right and extreme right, is more conservative than the one it seeks to replace both morally and economically, since it would deepen the principles of the free market, reduce State intervention and could limit some rights, such as reproductive rights.

The vote takes place in the midst of general boredom among citizens and a year after Chileans rejected another project with 62% of the votes, then drafted by a constituent with a left-wing majority, which many described as one of the initiatives most progressive constitutional institutions in the world.

For this reason, it was paradoxical that it was the left and the ruling party that promoted keep in force the Constitution bequeathed by Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990), which has been renovated up to 70 times.

“I prefer something bad to something terrible,” said former President Michelle Bachelet, who campaigned for the “Against” and the defense of women’s rights.

On the other hand, former president Sebastián Piñera, the conservative in whose government the social outbreak of 2019 took place that caused the start of the constitutional process, asked to close four years of “sacrifices” and “uncertainties” to have “a constitution approved in full democracy, that gives us the stability, the unity, the projection that Chile needs.”

Whatever the result of the plebiscite, with mandatory voting, this seems to be the end of the process that began four years ago when thousands of Chileans took to the streets to demand better pensions, health, and education and to end inequalities, protests without precedents in the history of this South American country considered one of the most stable democracies in the region.

The new constitutional proposal states that Chili It is a social and democratic State that “promotes the progressive development of social rights” through public and private institutions. Its detractors claim that, although there is freedom of choice in health, education or pensions, only those with purchasing power will be able to choose.

Feminist groups fear that the change in the wording of the new proposal to protect life “whose” is about to be born could pave the way to repeal abortion on the three grounds approved in 2017 (rape, risk to the mother’s life or non-viability of the fetus). In addition, they denounce setbacks in matters of social services or political participation.

Criticism of the proposal for a new constitution

The initiative also contains controversial elements on issues such as immigration by enshrining the expulsion of irregular immigrants. “as soon as possible”, conscientious objection by institutions, the right to strike or tax exemption from paying contributions for the first home. Likewise, those who may benefit from house arrest due to age or illness convicted of serious human rights violations.

After ten electoral processes in less than two and a half years, all social sectors showed their fatigue with so many votes.

“I’m tired, I feel sorry for my country,” said Fernando Escudero, a 77-year-old retiree who also rejected the new proposal. “I read the entire text, it is very bad, although the previous text was also very bad but it had redeemable things.”

Among other things, she regretted that the loss of women’s rights or that water is declared “A consumer good, for me water is a human right.”

Johanna Anríquez, a 38-year-old civil servant, also voted against the proposal because she considered it “very extremist.”

“The entire process itself has been a waste of resources for the State… a mockery. “Let’s stay with what is and please dedicate yourself to working on security,” asked politicians.

Similar requests were made by Raúl Espinoza, a 63-year-old history teacher and businessman.

Espinoza said he supported the new text although he said that the need to change the Constitution “they invented” the rulers. “The people asked for better pensions, better education for children. “Politicians ask for that.”

Undecided

Although the latest polls gave an advantage to rejecting the text, on Sunday there was uncertainty due to the high number of undecided or changing opinions.

María Caballer, a 72-year-old Peruvian domestic worker who has been in Chile for 27 years, said she was still undecided although she was already in line to vote at a polling station in the country’s capital.

“You don’t know which side to vote for here or there, everyone talking one thing, then they don’t keep what they promise”he claimed. “I think that no matter what happens, the country will remain the same.”

Whatever result is imposed, the ruling party will not have much to celebrate and if President Gabriel Boric wins the rejection, and several political parties have also assured that they will not promote a third constitutional attempt.

The news in an unfortunate week for the government could also impact the results.

On Wednesday, the arrest and imprisonment of the two protagonists accused of a corruption case involving a party in the ruling coalition was announced. The next day, a person who had previously been pardoned by the president was arrested for kidnapping.

And on Saturday a shooting in a shopping center in a middle-class neighborhood of the capital that reported no victims was the most recent example of one of the issues that most worries Chileans, security.