It has not been an easy start to the year for the Government of President Gabriel Boric. In February, the largest number of forest fires in the country was recorded, and with it criticism arose of the absence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonia Urrejola —who interrupted her vacation to go to coordinate the arrival of international aid. January was a long and heavy month for the authorities. Among the obstacles they have had to face are the accusation of the Minister of Social Development and Family, Giorgio Jackson; of the former Minister of Justice, Marcela Ríos and the leak of the audio from the Foreign Ministry, to name just a few “problems”. Since then, the need for a “new air” for the Government has been installed in public opinion; what would happen with a new cabinet change.
Senator Lagos Weber is a member of the Party for Democracy (PPD), a member of the ruling party. Thus, he is a member of Democratic Socialism, and therefore supported by La Moneda, despite the fact that in view of the Constitutional Council election —on May 7— his party decided to compete on a second list together with Christian Democrats and radicals (forming the “Todo Por Chile” pact). Under this gaze, the legislator spoke with CNN Chile about the eventual ministerial adjustment that could take place in March.
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The first thing that Ricardo Lagos Weber did was to remember that, before one year of President Boric’s administration —on March 11— has already been completed, there have already been several cabinet changes. The most significant, in his opinion, as a member of the PPD, was the one that occurred in September of last year, after the exit plebiscite, with the arrival of Ana Lya Uriarte to the Segpres and Carolina Tohá to the Interior. In any case, he considers that in March “there is a space to consider how he is going to face this new political and economic year.”
Yesterday, at the exit of a new political committee of the Executive, the general secretary of the PPD, José Toro, pointed out that the composition of the Government must reflect the electoral results and parliamentary representation, and advocated “balances”. Along these lines, Senator Lagos Weber stressed that President Boric permanently evaluates his cabinet, so he does not ask for cabinet changes since he does not correspond to him. But, “as a political coalition, I hope that we all feel properly represented in decision-making,” he declared.
Regarding the charges that the PPD could cover in March, the parliamentarian assures that he is not going to “address” the President. Of course, Lagos Weber reminded President Boric that in the first round they competed at the polls. “I feel that the President is clear that in order to govern, in order to carry out the government’s agenda, he requires support. And that support has to be obtained first in his own coalition and then in the expanded alliance, also talking with the opposition. And if for that it has to have a ministerial adjustment, of undersecretaries or seremis, that allows all the forces to deploy and feel part of the government, I have zero doubts that it will do it, “he argued.
Immediately afterwards, he sentenced: “I am left with the political signal and the will to build together.”
But, despite appreciating President Boric’s decisions, Senator Lagos maintains that “mistakes have been made and there have been difficulties for our government.” However, in the main, he added, “in the most important definitions —except, perhaps, a more complicated one that was the pardon—, in all the issues, I think President Boric has hit the nail on the head, from the point of view from the point of view of the core decisions and I have felt interpreted”.
Good examples for the PPD legislator are the State of Exception decree and the budget for Security in the national treasury. “Everything is there, the decisions are correct.”
“It is possible, within progressivism, to push towards greater understandings”
Senator Lagos Weber stressed that there are three years left in government. “They are short governments,” he says, and they have to have the capacity —in his opinion— “not only to manage the day to day, but also to draw up an agenda for the future.” “An alliance like the one we have today” must be promoted, he added, which, in his opinion, “has been stressed and has taken time to establish itself.”
In addition, he recalled that a little over a year ago they were competing for the presidency of the country, for seats in the Senate and the Chamber. For this reason, “it is not easy to work together, but it is not impossible”. And he reiterated: “if the Government has to make adjustments to facilitate this process, it is welcome.”
Asked if the change of cabinet could imply the creation of a single pro-government alliance, “I prefer the possibility of working together, understanding that we still have big differences,” he replied, although he specified: “It is possible, within progressivism, to push towards greater understandings.”
“Perhaps it is premature to talk about a single government alliance, but we have shown the maturity to be able to do it, which has not been without some setbacks. That is why I am optimistic,” concluded Senator Lagos Weber.
