Chileans participate en masse and without disturbances in the plebiscite on the Magna Carta that should replace the one promulgated during the Pinochet dictatorship
The plebiscite to approve or reject the draft of the new Constitution of Chile was characterized by the presence, especially in the first hours, of long queues, both in the open polling stations throughout the territory of the southern country and in the police stations. More than fifteen million Chileans were summoned on Sunday to give their opinion in a compulsory way from eight in the morning until six in the afternoon –six hours less than in Spain–. Only those who were more than two hundred kilometers from their habitual residence during that day were excused.
Those who did not exercise their electoral duty were exposed to a fine. For this reason, many citizens sought that the agents issue them certificates justifying that they could not vote due to health problems, because they were not at home or because of serious impediments. There they became part of a list that will finally reach the hands of the courts, which will require the appropriate evidence.
The politicians were the ones who got up the earliest to show their opinion. The president, Gabriel Boric, assured in his electoral college that today he intends to summon a broad national unity with all sectors to continue with this constituent process, whatever the result that comes out of the polls. “It will continue because both those who reject the proposal and those who support it have committed to reforming the text or starting a new debate,” he said.
“Go ahead”
When voting in his hometown, the southern Punta Arenas, he added that he could “guarantee the will and action of social organizations, civil society, political parties to listen to all voices in order to move forward.” “Either to implement the text of the new Constitution, for which we have already summoned several constitutionalists and different personalities from civil society, or to give continuity to the constitutional process in case the other option wins,” she specified.
In recent days, the president held a series of meetings with pro-government leaders preparing the stage starting this Monday, when, according to reports, Boric will convene an advisory council to facilitate the implementation of the new Magna Carta, if approved, as well as the promotion of a new constitutional convention to impose the hypothetical rejection.
In any case, voices from the ruling party maintained until the last minute their hope that the Chileans would support the text. The important concurrence of young people to the polls allowed to venture it. It also encouraged the illusion that the process had been carried out calmly and orderly throughout the country, except for some acts of violence in the southern macro-zone of Mapuche origin.
Although the polls for months gave the option of rejection as the winner – and therefore the continuity of the Constitution established in 1980 under the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) –, in the last few hours polls circulated on social networks that gave a tie technique between both positions.
Support from former presidents
When going to the polls, former President Sebastián Piñera, although he never explained his vote, pointed out that there was “a commitment to a new and good Constitution.” “I am convinced that Chilean citizens will wisely choose the best path for the country, because let’s say things as they are, we have had too much time of divisions, confrontation, violence, insecurity, and what Chile needs is more peace. , more unity, because only in this way will we be able to build everyone’s house,” he said.
The former president and current director of the UN Office for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, voted from Geneva, where she invited “dialogue” once the result was known. “Let’s be able to sit down and talk. Chile deserves to have peace to progress.
#Boric #guarantees #constituent #process #continue #result #consultation