After weeks of secrecy and speculation about a cabinet change, President Gabriel Boric finalized the expected ministerial adjustment and made changes in the portfolios of Foreign Affairs, Public Works, Cultures, Sports and Sciences.
In the middle of his speech, the President pointed directly to each of his ministers of State, giving them a series of instructions and pending challenges to their respective portfolios. For example, the Minister of the Interior, Carolina Tohá, was asked to “continue firm in the fight against crime”, since “it is a priority for our people and the Government.”
In the case of the Minister of Education, Marco Antonio Ávila, questioned in recent days due to the discussion he had with the deputy Viviana Delgado, the head of state told him “without forgetting, by the way, with a long-term perspective, debts as painful as the historical debt with the professors”.
Ximena Aguilera, the Minister of Health, was required by the President to solve the current problems faced by the isapres, but “without pardoning the irresponsibility.” Likewise, she asked him to “reduce the waiting lists” in public health.
The head of Social Development, Giorgio Jackson, the President requested that “poverty and childhood not be left behind. The law to guarantee children is vital for this.” Meanwhile, the minister spokesperson for the Government, Camila Vallejo, was entrusted to “communicate as she knows, from minute one, that the work we are doing is known throughout Chile.”
For the Minister for Women and Gender Equality, Antonia Orellana, who was not present, the Head of State asked her to work on the comprehensive law against violence against women, which was announced last Wednesday in the framework of the commemoration of International Women’s Day.
To the head of Labor, Jeannette Jara, Boric required that “we get the 40 hours for which we have fought so hard and dignity for workers and workers.” Maisa Rojas, Minister of the Environment, was asked not to take “not one step back in our commitment to move towards carbon neutrality and face the climate crisis from Chile.”
Boric asked the Minister of Finance, Mario Marcel, who this week experienced his first major defeat in the Chamber of Deputies after the rejection of the tax reform, to “continue with his temperance and little-known good humor. Despite the difficulties along the way, together we will overcome them”.
Along the same lines, the President told the Minister of Defense, Maya Fernández, that “we continue to strengthen our relationship with our professional and constitutionalist Armed Forces, who have always been available in recent years to serve the Homeland and that this year It’s going to be particularly special.”
On the other hand, the head of state pointed to the Minister of Housing, Carlos Montes, whom he urged to “continue to implement the emergency housing plan to achieve the 260,000 new housing solutions that we committed to. We have been told many times that it is impossible, but I know that with you we will achieve it”.
To Diego Pardow, the head of Energy, the President stated that “our energy transition is up to the times, that it is increasingly greener and that it reaches all corners of the Republic, to those towns even where today there is no light 24 hours a day”.
In the case of the Minister of Justice, Luis Cordero, the head of state expressly asked him “to never stop looking for those who are missing, for those who have disappeared, and seriously address the prison crisis.” Nicolás Grau, Minister of Economy, was called to focus on green hydrogen and reconstruction in areas affected by the fires.
The Minister of Transportation, Juan Carlos Muñoz, was asked that “with his characteristic enthusiasm, we push the trains to Chile against all odds.” Likewise, the head of Mining, Marcela Hernando, was asked to consolidate the lithium strategy but without neglecting environmental protection.
For the Minister of National Assets, Javiera Toro, the message was “that the wealth and immensity of the territory can be shared with the people.” To Esteban Valenzuela, Minister of Agriculture, the President communicated “that with that energy that you put into fighting the fires, allow the countryside and rurality to never be forgotten again.”
In the case of the Minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency (Segpres), Ana Lya Uriarte, who is one of the State Secretaries who entered the Government in the last cabinet change registered in September, the Governor told her: “I trust in you to, with more effort and dialogue, build a majority in Congress”.
Requests to new ministers
The President also took advantage of the instance to send messages to the newly appointed ministers. In this sense, the new head of Sports, Jaime Pizarro, entrusted that “the Pan American and Parapan American Games be a continental party in which all of Chile feels part of, not only in the places where we will be hosted, but also throughout the country “.
The new foreign minister, Alberto Van Klaveren, was asked by the head of state that “our country be the benchmark for multilateralism, integration, dialogue and unrestricted respect for Human Rights throughout the planet, following the path that our Minister Urrejola followed.”
For Jaime de Aguirre, the new Minister of Culture, Boric thanked him “for coming here, leaving the hospital.” “You have an energy that I envy. May the density and history in your work in culture encourage you and allow culture to be the spirit of our people that beats in each of our hearts and territories, which needs more resources and imagination to shine like the blazing sun of our continent”, indicated the President.
President Boric also asked the new Minister of Public Works, Jessica López, “that the MOP be the muscle of the State and we provide Chile with the infrastructure it deserves throughout the territory.” Finally, Aisén Etcheverry, the new Minister of Science, was asked that “science be for everyone.”
