translated from Spanish: The Economist criticizes Piñera government style: “He has been awkward in protecting Chileans from the economic consequences of Covid-19”

Through an extensive publishing house, the British median The Economist analysed the current situation in Chile. In the midst of the pandemic, they point out that The government of Sebastián Piñera has been “clumsy in protecting Chileans from the economic consequences of Covid-19.”
The text recounts how a common pot is lived in the commune of El Bosque, which he remembers were last seen “during the recession of the early 1980s, when Augusto Pinochet, a dictator, ruled the country”.
The text entitled “Covid-19 accelerates changes in Chile’s market-led economic model” details that in the 1990s “the Chilean economy grew rapidly”, with a more private role given to the administration of Pensions, Education and Health.
“In the post-Pinochet era, Chile earned a reputation for sound economic management, relatively low levels of corruption, and stable institutions,” notes The Economist, which, however, argues that the situation is uneven in Chile, triggering the social outburst in October 2019.
“The pensions that Chileans save for their old age turned out to be lower than many expected when the system was implemented in 1980. Rich Chileans get much better health and education services than the poor. In October, mass and sometimes violent protests began to emerge against inequality, which only dissolved after the arrival of the pandemic,” says the English medium.
The Economist criticizes the government’s measures in the control of Covid-19, the country’s high numbers and the “new normal” at the onset of the health crisis.
The editorial highlights the high levels of cessation and poverty that the pandemic has revealed. “Densely populated neighborhoods, overcrowded houses and the need to use public transport, it favored the Covid-19 to spread among the poor. The Minister of Health, Jaime Mañalich, admitted in May that he was unaware of the level of poverty and overcrowding that existed in some parts of Santiago, making the Government seem not to know what he was doing. He ended up quitting,” they said.
The economist says that “the government has been clumsy in protecting Chileans from the economic consequences of Covid-19. He’s reacted slowly. Their measures, while large-scale, have not reached those who need them. His lack of reaction could lead to a reaction that takes him in the opposite direction.”
“This level of radicalism also has its risks. Most Chileans agree that the state should act to reduce inequality and be in support of those in need. But their anger could create a support base for populist measures that end up making the country poorer,” he concluded.

Original source in Spanish

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