The two-time president of Chile Sebastián Piñera (2010-2014 and 2018-2022), who died on Tuesday at the age of 74 in a helicopter accident that he was piloting, will be buried this Friday in Santiago. The state funeral is held in the metropolitan cathedral, attended by family, friends, authorities of different political stripes and international leaders. The ceremony started around 9:30 a.m. in the former National Congress, in the center of the capital, where there has been a massive wake since Wednesday. President Gabriel Boric presided over an institutional tribute where the last Guard of Honor was held, accompanied by two of the last three former presidents of Chile. Ricardo Lagos, who announced his retirement from public life a week ago, reported this morning that he would not be able to attend.
The funeral of the former center-right president took place in a republican climate that does not occur easily in other countries in the region. In addition to the Honor Guard, the funeral procession passed through the Plaza de la Constitución, in front of the La Moneda Palace, the seat of the Government of the South American country. In that place he received the tribute from the current president. The closing of this climate of gathering of the entire political class has been sealed with the delivery of the flag that covered the coffin of the former president to his widow, Cecilia Morel, in an act that was carried out by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alberto Van Klaveren.
Complaints and recriminations “beyond what is fair”
The current left-wing president has highlighted that the late former president “had to face painful and complex moments for the country” and “paved the way for a democratic, liberal right open to dialogue for the good of Chile.” Boric has acknowledged that both had a different interpretation of the social outbreak, although he appreciated that the former president chose democratic paths through the constituent process to find a way out of the crisis. “As a parliamentarian, I was an opponent of Sebastián Piñera, and I do not regret it, because that is how democracies work. Being in the chair [Bernardo] O'Higgins has allowed me to understand and assess his role,” he said. He has also highlighted that he agreed to sign a joint declaration on the 50th anniversary of the 1973 coup d'état, which had been rejected by the rest of the right-wing leaders.
The Chilean head of state has addressed the political implications of the figure of the former president, who was active in National Renewal, especially the intense disputes of his Administration with the then left-wing opposition, which currently makes up the ruling party. “Sebastián Piñera was a man who always put Chile first, who never let himself be carried away by fanaticism and resentment. All of us who are in politics should take note of these virtues. During his administration, complaints and recriminations sometimes went beyond what was fair and reasonable. We have learned from it and we should all do,” he expressed.
Former Christian Democrat president Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle (1994-2000) offered an emotional and close speech. He knew Piñera from a very young age because his parents – former president Eduardo Frei Montalva and diplomat José Piñera Carvallo – were friends and comrades in the Christian Democracy party. Looking at the mourning family, Frei revealed that the “great things that Sebastián did” were inspired by his father, but especially by his mother, Josefa Rozas, “an extraordinary woman.” The former president highlighted the trajectory and civic respect that always existed between them, despite political differences. “The best tribute we can pay is that greatness reigns in our country,” he said.
Former socialist president Michelle Bachelet (2006-2010, 2014-2018) maintained in her speech that the State fires one of “its most prominent protagonists.” “He promoted a right that could distance itself from authoritarianism (…) Both in the dictatorship and the outbreak, he chose the institutional solution of giving power to citizens through voting,” said the socialist, who highlighted that it was Piñera who He commissioned the report to the UN on human rights violations during the social outbreak, a very complex moment in his second term. “It was in the presidency that Piñera paid the highest price for being an authority, because painful decisions have to be made and public scrutiny is relentless.”
After the authorities' speech, Magdalena Piñera Morel, the former president's eldest daughter, spoke with a brief speech. “I hope that this tribute serves to re-emerge unity and civic friendship in this country,” she declared.
The psalm of an accident survivor
Once the ceremony in the former national Congress was over, the body of the former president was transferred to the metropolitan cathedral, where the religious ceremony was held. A little before the homily led by the archbishop of Santiago, Fernando Chomalí, some of those close to the deceased politician intervened. One of the most emotional moments was the reading of the psalm by businessman Ignacio Guerrero, one of the former president's best friends and a survivor of the Lake Ranco accident.
During the mass, Chomalí expressed his hope that both the unexpected death of the former president and the tragic fires in Viña del Mar “will contribute to generating a more united, more fraternal and fairer country.” “Sebastián Piñera served Chile with strength, dedication and conviction. Like every human being, he could have made mistakes, he could have made mistakes, he could have done some things differently, but what is not in doubt is his good faith and right intention,” emphasized the priest, who also shared a greeting sent by Pope Francis.
The ceremony continued with the intervention of Piñera's relatives, including his older brother José, who had been absent from the events on Wednesday and Thursday, and with whom the former president had a distant relationship. Former ministers Gonzalo Blumel and Rodrigo Hinzpeter, the two closest collaborators of their two governments, also appeared. Another exciting moment was the speech by Luis Urzúa, one of the 33 miners who were rescued from the San José mine in a historic operation led by the first Administration of the former ruler. “We want to say our sincere goodbye to our President, thanks to him we were rescued, thanks to him today we can give our testimony, you took us off the land, you left many things to do, but you were there accompanying our families. Today there are 33 flags and not 33 crosses,” said Urzúa, in the company of other rescued workers. The final words came from two of the grandchildren and children of the late authority.
After the religious ceremony, Piñera's coffin was taken out in a funeral procession towards the La Moneda Palace, where he received the last recognitions from the citizens who were in the center of Santiago. Upon arriving at the Government headquarters, the caravan received tribute from President Boric himself and the palace guard made up of Carabineros. The tour advanced to the Parque del memoria cemetery in the municipality of Huechuraba, north of the city, where the family will hold an intimate final ceremony. Before its arrival at the cemetery, the carriage has been filled with flower petals by the workers of the Pergola of Flowers, comply
ing with a Chilean tradition of funerals of people of high public visibility.
The week of farewell to Piñera has been marked by a republican attitude and expressions of affection from citizens. In a gesture outside of protocol, President Boric, accompanied by three ministers, awaited the arrival of the coffin on Wednesday on the landing strip of Group 10 of the Air Force, coming from Valdivia, 850 kilometers south of Santiago. The government authorities also warmly received the former president's widow, Cecilia Morel, her four children and some of her grandchildren. The Piñera family has appreciated the expressions of affection from the current president, who referred to the deceased as “a democrat from the first hour.”
The sudden death of the first right-wing president since the return to democracy in 1990 has shocked the South American country, which turned out en masse to bid farewell to him. It is estimated that more than 12,000 people came to the old Congress in the center of Santiago during the days of national mourning to pay tribute to him. Until Thursday night, the lines extended down several streets, with people carrying Chilean flags and photographs of the former president. The doors were scheduled to close this Thursday at 6:00 p.m. to hold an event by his coalition, Chile Vamos. But the crowd was such that they suspended the tribute so that people could enter. Closing time was extended until midnight.
The people standing, under the harsh sun of the Chilean summer, remembered with emotion and gratitude the milestones of the two Piñera Administrations: his management for the reconstruction of the country after the devastating earthquake of 2010, the rescue of the 33 miners buried underground – some of them also came to the wake -, and the management of the pandemic, where their business talent made it possible to negotiate vaccines with laboratories before anyone else in Latin America, among other milestones. Some of his supporters called him “a hero.”
Regarding the most complex moment of his second term, the social outbreak of 2019, his traveling companions and collaborators highlighted during these days their commitment to democracy when it was in danger as a result of strong violence in the streets. Piñera reached 6% approval at that time and left La Moneda with his opponents and some of his people dissatisfied with his management. In recent months, however, his figure had regained important leadership within his sector, even appearing, after the mayor of the UDI Evelyn Matthei, of the traditional right, as one of the favorites to run for the presidential elections of 2025. He was a voice heard in influence and his inner circle has assured that he was happy, in a very good personal and professional moment.
Most of Piñera's two Cabinets attended the farewell in the former Congress. Many of them were guards of honor next to the coffin, as well as ministers of the current Boric Government and authorities from the right and also from the left, leaving images of respect and unity in the midst of a political tension marked by the contingency. Of course, the family was also present, drawing applause and shouts of support from those present.
Former President Lagos announced this morning that he would not participate in the ceremony, presenting his excuses to the widow Cecilia Morel. “It is my wish to accompany you today. However, for the reasons that I shared last week with the country, my attendance in the way I would have wanted is not advisable,” the president wrote in relation to his retirement from public life.
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