translated from Spanish: Cabinet closes ranks with the Pla Minister and confronts the feminist movement

have already been three the Ministers who have criticised the feminist strike this Friday, March 8, emphasizing that the call is taking an “opponent” character to Government.
It all started last week when the Minister of women and gender equity, Isabel Plá, said that the protest called by the movement “seems that it is a call for a sector of the opposition”. And this Monday, two Ministers came out in his support: the owner of Justice, Hernán Larraín and the spokesperson for the Government, Cecilia Pérez.
Larrain was aligned with the statements of the Minister of women and stated that “someone is taking advantage of the cause of women for other purposes (…) they have politicized it and doesn’t make sense.”
In addition, added that “I understand that there is a standstill, there is mobilization, but which do not mix apples and oranges.” Not have covert issues”.
The spokeswoman for Government, Cecilia Pérez, also came to support to Pla, with emphasis on the gender agenda carried out by administration of Sebastián Piñera.
“We have a President who became part of that voice, putting our demands at the front through a forceful agenda, which the Minister of women and gender equity, Isabel Plá is leading it.” (…) No to do strikes, they instead, the rights of women manage to mobilize us all,”he said.
The argument of the Minister Pla is the call to paralyse this March 8 “distracts from more central, important issues and defendants-mostly by women”. “What the Government of President Piñera does not share is the stoppage of activities and the call for a strike, when us – and very important part of the country – we’re doing fairly is to mobilize so that women have the opportunity of” part of how the world and our country are moving”, added the Minister.
Non-profit argue in the midst of this controversy, the UDI and Evopoli, the ruling parties, made a call to the Government so that there is no confrontation with the feminist movement.
“It is a mistake to give these flags on the left because they are not of them. Even if you don’t like it there are women on the right, the UDI is the only party that is headed by a woman, therefore, if we understand feminism as equality of rights between men and women, and the fight for the end of discrimination and any type of v “iolencia, of course that those flags are left, are women”, said the President of the UDI, Jacqueline Van Rysselberghe.
Told La Tercera Evopoli, Hernán Larraín Matte, President pointed out that “it is important that the Government and Chile go from an ideological fight with the left on the demands or causes that are behind the movement and” “, rather, seek to give them a channel through the agenda woman who the Government is building”.
“Take back our right to strike” on the other hand, the feminist 8 March Coordinator stressed the importance of activity to be held next Friday.
The aim is to “put on the table the need to regain our right to strike”. The main demands of the collective are: sexual and reproductive rights, violence macho, defense of territory and food sovereignty, the right to the city and housing, public education not sexist, labour and social security, among others.
In the prior to the international women’s day, underground transport stations were intervened with the names of references feminists of the Chilean history as Elena Caffarena, Gabriela Mistral, Violeta Parra, Pedro Lemebel, among others.

Original source in Spanish