Flanked by the presidents of all the right-wing parties and the PDG, as well as the deputies Frank Sauerbaum (RN) and Cristóbal Martínez (UDI); the three-time mayor of Chillán, between 2008 and 2021, Sergio Zarzar Andonie, yesterday made official his fourth candidacy for mayor of the regional capital.
An electoral adventure that, due to the law limiting re-elections, had to be put on hold for four years, and which now faces a political, economic and social context quite different from that of four years ago.
Furthermore, those in support of him see his campaign and that of other figures in different regional capitals as an opportunity to pave the way for a presidential and parliamentary victory in 2025.
“The support that emerged from different sectors of the city, and also from the municipal family, was fundamental and spontaneous. When I speak of the municipal family, I am referring to many with whom I have already spoken,” said the former authority, who will compete once morest the current mayor, the PPD Camilo Benavente.
“I will always be grateful. After being mayor of this beloved city for more than twelve years, one undoubtedly turns the page, but this movement was so intense, so pleasant in the way it manifested itself, that there was no choice but to analyze what all these people and institutions really wanted. Today I announce that I will be a candidate for mayor of Chillán, and of course, I have to thank so many parties that are here today, that were an important base of the work that was done to make Ñuble a region,” he said.
Indeed, alongside the now official candidate of Chile Vamos, were the regional presidents of the UDI, RN, Evópoli, the People’s Party and the Republican Party.
“This city has to be a regional capital of greater scope, it has to consolidate itself, because some of you may think, and well, following so much time, what is the point? What is your proposal? What is your horizon in relation to Chillán? There is much to do, there are many pending things. I know and I will be grateful for it all my life, that I have been respected following ceasing to be mayor, and here is the greatest demonstration (he points to the party presidents who accompany him). But I am also recognized as the mayor of the great works, and I did not say that, the works speak for themselves. When we talk regarding cities devastated by floods, I feel happy to have worked to make an investment of more than 35 billion in the master plan for rainwater, and Chillán has been impeccable. That is the work that we have to continue doing,” he said.
Asked regarding the demonstration of unity of the centre-right parties, undoubtedly the basis of his campaign, Zarzar said that “we must remember that I was a candidate three times and we won, thank God, all three times, and I was always a factor of unity. Always. We are strong, united, cohesive, we know that in politics there are very special situations, sometimes there is selfishness, pettiness. Today in this candidacy there is generosity, there is a view of the city, there is a view of the region and there is a view of the country, and we are going to start working on that with everything so that every day we are better with the strength of this candidacy”, he said.
LED Case
Regarding the shadow of corruption in dozens of municipalities in the country, and specifically, the LED case, which shook his administration, Zarzar was emphatic in stating that “it was a situation that occurred in a transparent administration, with clean hands. To this day, following four years, this is still under investigation. And do not forget that we were able to obtain the resources for the LED lights during our administration, and that the lights that are being put in place today are with the resources of our administration, because some people forget. Therefore, when we talk regarding this type of thing, it is something specific, it is something that is still being investigated,” he said.
He added: “I say it categorically, there have been no thieves in the Municipality of Chillán, at least during my administration. I have never heard of anyone stealing a peso, because, to make history, not a peso has ever been lost in the Municipality of Chillán with that project,” he said.
Right in block
Isabel Troncoso, regional president of the UDI, stressed that “we trust and believe that Sergio Zarzar is the best candidate for mayor of the municipality of Chillán. Because during his three terms he gave proof that he was the mayor of great works. And in fact, today works that were planned and financed during his term continue to be inaugurated and carried out,” she said.
Rodrigo González, regional president of RN, thanked Zarzar for accepting the challenge, and commented that “we know that good times are coming for Chillán. We know that the lethargy that has been in the city for this time will end, and that the works that we need so much and that the people of Chillán deserve so much will return,” he said.
From Evópoli, its regional president, Alejandro Mellado, added that “our regional capital deserves to take the step that is so necessary, we are in the 21st century and we need to move forward. And with joint work, as a team, and with the tremendous leadership of Mr. Sergio Zarzar, we believe that we can achieve it,” he said.
Jorge Luis Sánchez, regional president of the Republican Party and candidate for governor of that party, also gave his support to Zarzar.
“We are not going to put forward a mayoral candidate in Chillán. Why? Because the idea is that we do not fight each other. The idea is that we have to be together to recover this municipality and not give space to the left,” he said.
Finally, Jorge Arriagada, regional president of the PDG, said that as a centrist group “we understand that Sergio Zarzar is a very good candidate, that is why we are here to support him. We want to look at the region in the long term, we want to grow once more, we understand that we have many difficulties, structural problems, very complex realities regionally, which we cannot ignore,” he said.
#support #CHV #Republicans #PDG #Zarzar #launches #candidacy #mayor #Discusión
