The independent doctor Izkia Siches made history this Friday by being designated the first woman at the head of the powerful Ministry of the Interior and Public Security in a cabinet that marks another milestone: it is the first in the American continent with more women than men (14 versus 10).
Companions of student struggles, the president of the Central Bank, a former president of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), figures from the traditional center left and a handful of independents complete the leftist’s future team Gabriel Boric, who on March 11 will become the youngest president in the history of Chile.
“We are joined in this team by ministers of diverse origins and formations, a diverse cabinet as diverse as our country is”, indicated borik at a ceremony in Natural Historical Museum of Santiago.
These are the main names of a government with several ministers who are less than 40 years old, which promises structural changes to move towards a state model similar to the European one and which will have to deal with a very fragmented Parliament, high inflation and a society that has not fully recovered from the riots of 2019, the most serious since the end of the dictatorship.
IZKIA SICHES: INTERIOR
Many attribute to this doctor of 35 years the success of borik in the December ballot, in which he beat the far-right by almost 12 points Jose Antonio Kast.
President of the influential Medical College, Siches She resigned in November to become campaign manager and tour the country from end to end, accompanied by her newborn daughter.
In addition to being the first woman to occupy the ministry with the most political weight, Siches She is also the first independent in the position, although she was a member of the Communist Youth When i was in the University of Chile, where he met Boric.
MARIO MARCEL: TREASURY
Renowned 62-year-old economist, Marcel is president of the central bank from 2016 and for years he held various positions in the Treasury, such as budget director at Government of Ricardo Lagos (2000-2006).
Independent but close to socialism, it is seen favorably by business elites, especially after applying a historic rise in interest rates to try to placate the very high inflation, which closed 2021 at 7.2%, the highest in 14 years.
CAMILA VALLEJO: SPEAKER
Communist deputy since 2014, Vallejo (33 years old) became known worldwide when she led the 2011 student protests at the head of the powerful Federation of Students of the University of Chile (FECh), from which borik he was also president.
It represents the generational change in the Communist Party (CP) and it is one of its most dialoguing and transversal faces.
GIORGIO JACKSON: SEGPRES
faithful squire of borik since the student struggles and a deputy since 2014, is the person who knows him best and will be in charge of relations with Parliament at the head of the General Secretariat of the Presidency (Segpres).
In a chamber where as of March there will be no majorities and I approve Dignity -the coalition made up of the wide front and the communist party with which Boric won the ballot – he only has 37 deputies and five senators, the role of Jackson (34 years old) is going to be crucial to carry out the transformative agenda.
ANTONIA URREJOLA: CHANCELLERY
With a long history in international organizations, the independent lawyer will be responsible for disseminating the change of borik in a region that is veering to the left.
Urrejola, 53, was highly critical of the Nicaraguan regime of Daniel Ortega when he was in charge of Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in 2021 and his opposition to the regime of Nicholas Maduro, In Venezuela.
ANTONIA ORELLANA: WOMAN
Feminist activist and one of the founders of Social Convergence (SC), the match of borik, Orellana At 32, she will be the youngest minister.
He will lead a portfolio that for the first time in democracy will integrate the so-called Political Committee, the hard core of the cabinet. His inclusion in the instance – along with the Interior, the Treasury, the spokesperson and Segpres – is a powerful signal to the feminist groups, crucial in Boric’s victory.
Maria M. Mur / EFE
