Neoliberalism Dies in Chile

On December 19, a left of center millennial who rose to
prominence during anti-government protests in 2019 was
elected Chile’s next president after a bruising campaign against
a free-market firebrand likened to Donald Trump.


With 56% of the votes, Gabriel Boric handily defeated, by more
than 10 points, lawmaker José Antonio Kast, who tried
unsuccessfully to scare voters that his inexperienced opponent
would become a puppet of his allies in Chile’s Communist Party
and upend the country’s vaunted reputation as Latin America’s
neoliberal prototype.


In a model of democratic civility that broke from the polarizing
rhetoric of the campaign, Kast immediately conceded defeat. 
Meanwhile, outgoing President Sebastian Pinera — a conservative
billionaire — held a video conference with Boric to offer his
government’s full support during the three month transition.


Among many things, Boric campaigned with the promise to fight
climate change by blocking a proposed mining project in what is
the world’s largest copper producing nation.


He also promised to end Chile’s private pension system — the
hallmark of the neoliberal economic model imposed by the
dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet.


He has said, “We are a generation that emerged in public life
demanding our rights be respected as rights and not treated like
consumer goods or a business.  We know there continues to be
justice for the rich, and none for the poor, and we no longer
will permit that the poor keep paying the price of Chile’s
inequality.”


Joining us this episode to discuss this historic victory in Chile
is friend and guest Patricio Zamorano who is a political analyst
and the Director of The Council of Hemispheric Affairs. Patricio
is a Chilean citizen living in the US and voted on December 19 at
the Chilean Embassy in Washington DC.