Left-wing leader Gabriel Boric wins the presidential elections in Chile in a ballot against the ultra-conservative José Antonio Kast: the number one of the Apruebo Dignidad coalition thus becomes the youngest president in the history of Chile at 36 years of age.
By the time the poll reached 92.12 percent, Boric had scored over 55 percent versus Kast's 44 percent - a crushing lead of over eleven points that no poll or analyst could predict. Part of the credit was the record turnout for Chile, over 50%, equivalent to over eight million votes.
Kast, acknowledging the crushing defeat, showed up in Santiago de Chile at the president-elect's headquarters for a short 15-minute interview the contents of which were not disclosed.
THE SPEECH - In his first speech as president-elect, Boric addressed the many thousands of people who waited for him for hours in the capital saying that "a season of change has begun that must deepen the social justice and democracy of this country" . After saying a few words in Mapuche, the language of the native population of southern Chilean, Boric thanked "all those who went to vote, including those who did not vote for me".
The future of Chile, he then said, "needs everyone to be on the side of the people", because "I am convinced that the reforms we will make to be successful will have to be the result of a broad consensus among the various political forces". "Difficult times await us", he continued, "due to the pandemic, and because the reasons for the social revolt that broke out in 2019 still remain. To solve them - he assured - we will advance in small but decisive steps".
He came to the presidency, he continued, "with the conviction that economic growth in social inequality is a mistake", that "destabilizing democratic institutions to govern is wrong" and "for this I am committed to protecting democracy together with the people". Among other strong themes of his future government, Boric signaled the determination to "put an end to the patriarchy in Chile" by enhancing the role of women "who must have a greater weight in society and in the government". And also to "guarantee respect for human rights with some essential points: truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition".
The first engagement of the president-elect will be a working lunch at 2 pm (6 pm Italian time) with his outgoing colleague Sebastián Piñera to start the process of transition of power that will end with his inauguration in Moneda on 11 March 2022. Piñera, addressing to the press, he said he was convinced that Boric "will be the president of all Chileans, those who voted for him, those who voted for Kast and those who abstained": "I hope - he concluded - that he knows how to govern wisely , prudence, strength and moderation ".
(Unioneonline / D)