Photo By: BBC
2019 was a year of unprecedented change for Chile. When Sebastian Piñera, the president, implemented a reform to increase transportation ticket costs, students all around the country took to the streets and demanded the reform be withdrawn. However, the metro protests were the spark that lit the fire. Chileans were extremely unhappy due to the high living costs and low salaries. They claimed that the country lacked education rights and adequate health care systems, coupled with significant wealth inequalities. The protests turned violent and both civilians and police started confronting each other with brute force. Given the rising conflict between the police and the protesters, at least 20 civilians were killed, and many accused police of abusing their power. Piñera attempted to quell the protests by replacing eight ministers and increasing the minimum wage. He also raised taxes on wealthy Chileans, but it was too little too late. According to The Guardian, 1% of Chile earns 33% of the nation's wealth, and this inequality, the protesters claim, is a direct result of the 1980 constitution, implemented by former dictator Augusto Pinochet. The protesters also advocated for reforms in the pension system and even started pressing Piñera to resign. One of the most critical moments throughout the protests was when Piñera declared a state of emergency which suspended freedom of movement and assembly while also positioning military forces on the streets. Many were angered by this decision, stating that Piñera autonomously decided to implement this measure without consulting with the public, highlighting the feeling of voicelessness that the protesters had been explaining.
After more than a million people continued to protest and voice their concerns, Piñera acquiesced and decided to hold a referendum to see if the Chilean people wanted to change the country’s constitution. It is important to understand that one of the main points that were made by the protesters was the idea that the country’s 1980 constitution represented the man and the ideas that had implemented them over thirty years back: Augusto Pinochet and his militaristic government. Because of this they said that the constitution was full of inequalities which put the rich and the private sectors of the country in charge of health, education, housing, and pensions. Although the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the referendum back a few months, in October 2020, Chileans once again took to the street, not to protest, but to vote and show their communal power. With more than 7.5 million Chileans turning up to the polls, more than 78% voted to craft a new constitution.
Although Chile is one of the richest country in South America, it also suffers significant wealth distribution inequality. According to Chilean citizen Fernanda Namur in an interview of BBC, the new constitution should “represent our lower class and give them a fighting chance in this seemingly rigged game through decent education and accessible medical care.” Now, this past Sunday, May 16th, Chileans returned to the polls in order to vote for the 115 that will take part in the convention that will write the new constitution. However, a deep change in this new constitution is that Indigenous representatives will be present in the convention, and they will be allowed to voice their concerns as equals, something that they had not had the opportunity to do before. The BBC stated that Chile was the only country in Latin America not to represent Indigenous groups, going as far as not recognizing them, even. Therefore, as they are finally heard and accepted, Indigenous representatives will be able to actively voice their concerns and contribute to building Chile as a country in which all of its citizens are considered.
Chile is trying to make the writing of this constitution as representative of the country as possible, and half of the seats are reserved for women while 17 seats will be reserved for indigenous groups. The country has a population of around 19 million people, of which 12% are indigenous. Indigenous leaders have begun their campaigns to become a part of the constitution convention, but the string that connects all of their proposals is their concern over the usage of native lands. They want the country to recognize their distinct and unique culture and Felipe Rematal, a candidate representing Diaguita, said, “Many people living in Chile do not know much about our culture and that needs to change.” The lack of indigenous representation has led to the slow dissolution of native culture. Indigenous Chileans fear the finite nature of their traditions, and are determined to preserve them through representation and advocacy. The only female Rapa Nui representative, Tiare Aguilera said, “I want more resources invested on the island and the teaching of our language.” While Aymara representative Luis Jimenez said “We want a plurinational state in Chile where our culture, ancestral lands and language are recognized.” The indigenous people of Chile want recognition. They want equal resources. They want access to health, education, and access to public services as every other Chilean, and this step in their representation in the new constitution is a vital component to make it a truly valuable and functional document.
The key to crafting a long-lasting constitution that will benefit the country is in writing it by mirroring the citizens. It is important to understand the concerns, yearnings, and passions that led Chileans to protest for these changes; by doing so, the country will become unified once more. Chile has been extremely hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, even having to alter voting dates in order to prevent mass contagion. Despite having one of the most efficient vaccination systems in the world, the country has been seeing an exponential rise in cases. With more than 1.26 million cases, the country has declared nationwide curfew and restricted movement for all of its citizens. There is debate regarding the cause of the rising cases. Some say it was because President Piñera called out victory too early, and reduced restrictions before the vaccination process could roll out effectively. Others argue that the vacation period from December to February also led to the exponential rise in cases as holiday permits and trips happened as usual. As of now, 7.46 million Chileans — 39.4%— are fully vaccinated, with around 16.5 million doses administered. Many changes are coming Chile’s way, and hopefully, the new constitution will accurately represent the frustrated nation. With the election of honest and hardworking representatives to the constitution convention, the country will be able to draft a constitution that will set them up for success, and will help Chile keep its position as one of the most prosperous Latin American countries.
Written By: Carolina Mejia Rodriguez
Comments