President Gabriel Boric said on Thursday that, although it is not popular, the increase in electricity bills must be implemented for the sake of “sustainability” of public finances.
The controversial measure, which will come into effect on July 1, has provoked great doubts and criticism from parliamentarians across the board, who are calling for electricity bills to be frozen once more and for the number of beneficiaries of the subsidy to be increased to mitigate the effects on citizens.
The main focus of the controversy has been on Energy Minister Diego Pardow, who is accused of not having provided timely information on the real effect of the increase, which might reach an increase of up to 50% on bills in the coming months.
Speaking to Radio Presidente Ibáñez in Punta Arenas from his native Magallanes Region, the President said that “as President of the Republic, I have the duty to be responsible and think not regarding the next election, but regarding the sustainability of public finances, thinking regarding Chilean families.”
“Today, as a result of the freezing of tariffs from 2019 onwards, a debt of 6.5 billion dollars has accumulated. That is a lot, a lot, a lot of money. And the experience I have had in the Government is that debt that is not paid is more expensive,” he stressed.
Therefore, he added, “the adjustment that must be made, which is difficult, is a necessary adjustment because otherwise it would be irresponsible on our part. I know it is not popular, I know it is difficult, but I insist, a debt that is not paid is more expensive later.”
Boric said that he shares “the concern expressed by different sectors of society regarding the need for more support for the most vulnerable families, and that is why we have already established support for 1,500,000 families with a subsidy. And we are looking for mechanisms in a working group with parliamentarians to be able to extend the extension of this subsidy to more families.”
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