The president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, announced this Friday the dismissal of five of his ministers, including the chancellor, Antonia Urrejola, who will be replaced by Alberto van Klaveren, former Undersecretary for International Relations and former Ambassador to Belgium.
Juan Carlos Garcia (Public Works), Julieta Brodsky (Culture), Alexandra Benado (Sports) and Silvia Díaz (Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation) also leave the cabinet.
This is the second ministerial change made by Boric and occurs two days after receiving his biggest legislative defeat, when the Chamber of Deputies rejected his promised tax reform, with which he intended to finance his social program and collect 3.6% of GDP in four years.
According to the Chilean newspaper El Emol, the changes are due to ministers who, in recent months, had management problems, were involved in controversies or had low citizen support.
Foreign Minister Antonia Urrejola, for example, was involved in a strong controversy last month after the leak of an audio in which she criticized and hurled strong insults against the Argentine ambassador, Rafael Bielsa.
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And it is that the change also coincides with Boric’s first year in power. A year later, the 37-year-old former student leader enjoys little approval in Chile, has still not been able to carry out any of his emblematic reforms and is repeatedly forced to face some controversy or conflict, either due to mistakes by his own team. or by an opposition that does not give truce.
According to Cadem, Boric enjoys a 35 percent approval rating which, however, is the best figure since last September.
Boric has also had to face problems such as the rejection of the new constitution in the September 2022 plebiscite, and other controversies over the pardon of prisoners of the social outbreak of 2018.
ANGIE RUIZ
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
TIME
*With Efe
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