Amid tensions within the government coalition of the Presidente, Gabriel Boricthis Wednesday the minister Secretary General of the Presidency (Segpres), Giorgio Jacksoncame to Congress to hold a meeting-lunch with the bench of senators of the Socialist Party (PS).
“It was a very good conversation, a frank conversation”said the head of the Segpres following the meeting with the socialists.
Jackson added that “I think that today we had a very good conversation, very frank, where certain consultations were raised, certain differences even that may exist on certain criteria, but they have some justification, and that I believe that when there is that dialogue, a much better understanding and establish channels that allow us to be able to anticipate these differences instead of having to expose them from the public space”.
And he assured that “we have established communication channels, on Mondays we are going to have, in particular with the official factions, we are going to have a coordination meeting, that also the idea is that it can be replicated in the different sectoral portfolios, that is something fundamental so that those alerts that appear early have a way to process them. We from the Executive are fully aware that what needs to be articulated here is an effort even beyond the official factions, that effort is needed as a floor from which we can cross-convince the different factions that do not form part of the government to be able to approve an agenda that we believe the citizens support.”
Finally, Jackson clarified that due to other commitments he might not meet with the bench of DC senators, but that he contacted senators Matías Walker and Ximena Rincón to apologize. “I was willing to find another time, either here, following the room, another day in La Moneda, or here around the corner from the district, so that we can have this first adjustment and conversation meeting with all the benches that make up this Congress”.
The announcement made last Monday by the Secretary of state regarding putting “extreme urgency” to the project of amnesty to the prisoners of the social outbreak October 2019 generated a series of recriminations by the legislators of Democratic Socialism (PS and PPD).
From both benches they questioned the head of the Segpres for not having discussed the issue with the benches before announcing it publicly.
In fact, some parliamentarians, such as the Socialist Fidel Espinozaaccused the minister of wanting “leave the institution (Senate) in a bad light before the constituent process”. Questioning to which his party partner joined, Alfonso de Urresti: “A new mistake is being made by Minister Giorgio Jackson by not coordinating, by not working with the different groups,” he said. This is because in the Senate there is uncertainty regarding the future of the initiative, since, initially, there would not be the necessary votes for its approval.
Faced with these questions, it is that Jackson himself assured this Tuesday in Congress that “I have no problem improving the communication channels so that everyone is informed at the same time”. And he announced that he would meet for lunch with the PS senators.
But in addition, these criticisms from socialists and the PPD generated annoyance in the main government coalition: I Approve Dignity. “I would dare to say that for some ruling party senators it is a hobby to criticize President Boric’s ministers,” He said PC senator, Daniel Núñez and I add: “If some senators from government parties, the PS-PDD believe that they are only going to receive the benefits and are not going to be supportive of any government decision, I think it is logical that they question whether it is worth being a government in those conditions. I think it’s unfeasible.”
Concluded the meeting, the head of the caucus of the PS senators, José Miguel Insulza valued the meeting with the head of the Segpres.
“We have had a very good meeting with Minister Jackson, I would say that a large part of the doubts and problems that existed have been clarified. Naturally, they are frictions typical of the first days in which everyone is just getting used to working, but I believe that we are going to continue marching in good agreement”, he indicated.
And he added that “regarding the substantive issues that have been raised, we have received some preliminary answers, but the President is going to clarify them much more in the meeting that we have on Friday with all the factions of the ruling party. So we are very happy.”