“Minister Jackson has my support, with my backing, I am constantly evaluating our cabinet,” the President said on Thursday. At that point, his strong man in La Moneda had broken trust with Democratic Socialism, when, at the start of the campaign, he argued that his generation has a different scale of values than the one that preceded it. Senator Insulza said this morning that the possibility of forging a coalition between Democratic Socialism and Approve Dignity was unfeasible following what Jackson proposed.
What to watch. On July 14, due to the severe management difficulties faced by Minister Izkia Siches, Boric was asked regarding the possibility of changing the cabinet. “I am always evaluating those who work with me,” he replied.
- By then, the weakness of the minister, in charge of public security, one of the most sensitive flanks of the current administration, was already dragging down the President, eroding the popularity of both to unprecedented levels.
- Almost a month later, Boric was consulted by Giorgio Jackson, the former factotum of the campaign. On the table were the controversial sayings of the Secretary of State, for which he had had to come out to apologize and in which he said the following: “Our scale of values and principles regarding politics is not only far from the previous government, but I think that in front of a generation that preceded us”.
- The unexpected appearance of the minister had not only left him with one foot out of the official negotiations to commit changes to the constitutional text before the plebiscite, a key role for Boric, but also had weakened the strong man of La Moneda and, above all, , aggravated the crack of Democratic Socialism with the government.
- Boric was consulted regarding it. And, in a message similar to the one he gave Siches, he replied: “Minister Jackson has my support, the minister has my support, I am constantly evaluating our cabinet.”
- “Interlocution has to be permanent with whoever best facilitates this, we cannot stay here neither from the government nor from the parliamentarians or from other important political authorities, in proud personal, whoever best facilitates the dialogue has to carry this forward”, he added, leaving for some Jackson with 2 feet out of the negotiation, which aims to bring water to the mill to the thesis of “I approve to reform”.
The crack with Democratic Socialism. But perhaps the most important message from the President was related to safeguarding the relationship with the former Coalition, following some of its main leaders came out to say this Thursday morning that Jackson’s statements had buried the option of forging a joint coalition with I approve Dignity. That is to say, the thesis of the 2 rings of government that preceded the formation of the government was reproduced, with the FA-PC in the one closest to the President and the center-left in one more distant.
- “The underlying message, with great humility, we have to learn from those who came before us,” Boric said, referring to Jackson’s remarks.
- “The coalition will be seen later. Today I do not think that there is a need to give categorical answers to that, I think that the important thing is the political, strategic discussion of what we are here for, not just the sayings of one or another minister, so I take that calmly, ” he added.
- José Miguel Insulza, the former minister who was in the governments of the former Concertación for the most years in a row, had called into question in the morning, pointing out -on Radio Duna- the option of uniting both coalitions. It was an issue that the parliamentarians and the PS leadership had addressed with Boric three weeks ago. In that exchange there were many pending conversations to continue advancing on the matter, but with the subject it had been settled.
- “That is his opinion regarding his allies (that of Jackson) and, well, we have to learn to live with that and not continue talking, as I have done, of a single coalition, that I am convinced that the death of the yesterday,” said Insulza.
- And, even more complex, the senator showed that mistrust had been installed. “Unfortunately, some think that the others are tied to some old evils that it would be necessary to put aside. They are willing to work with us and we are also willing to work with them, but we already know what each one thinks of the other”.
- For some, the outcome of this problem will be reviewed once more on September 5, with the results of the plebiscite in hand. If the Rejection succeeds, beyond the severe setback for Boric and his administration, all analysts suggest that the President will require the support of the former Concertación to join forces and carry out his government program.
The echoes in the center left. Other parliamentarians and center-left parties took a position similar to that of Insulza.
- Raúl Soto, president of the Chamber of Deputies: “The idea of a single coalition must be categorically discarded. The duty of democratic socialism is to reconstruct and modernize the center-left with a view to the future, less ideological and with more common sense. A polarized country needs a dam once morest populism and extremes.”
- Leonardo Cubillos, president of the PR. “Minister Jackson was wrong and even though he apologized, along this path we are not going to build the majorities that Chile requires in order to break down inequalities. The Radical Party today is part of a government coalition which it will honor with its commitment to work in unity, mutual respect, caring for spaces of trust, in consideration of the principles that have characterized radicalism”, he said.
- In the PPD, meanwhile, the critical gaze towards its partners in Approve Dignidad deepened. Following Jackson’s remarks, Senator Ricardo Lagos Weber said that it provoked “tremendous disaffection among the coalitions.”
- In this group, the idea of a single coalition, such as Concertación or New Majority, is almost ruled out.