Pablo Longueira arrived late and “is no longer the one before”. That appears to be the consensus among a group of UDI deputies after it made known their intentions to preside over the party. They also agree that the former senator “is going to have to compete if he wants to be president of the UDI.”
Trade unionism has made headlines in recent years. To the presidential aspiration of The Mayor of Providence Evelyn Matthei, is now added to the reappearance of Longueira, who in interview with El Mercurio by realignment of the entire sector, including the government, by Apruebo. He noted that it was to seek to position themselves within the framework of an Apruebo “but not from scratch”, in order to make a difference with those who would like to change everything.
In this regard, mp Juan Antonio Coloma told T13 that “it is always valid that any UDI militant wants to be eligible to be party president, but already, more than ten years ago – he decides on the option ‘a militant, one vote’. If anyone wants to be a candidate for the presidency, well, chances are they’ll have to qualify for internal competition at the UDI.”
In the meantime, MP Jorge Alessandri argued that “when Longueira says I am willing to preside over the UDI, the phrase should have been ‘I am willing to compete to preside over the UDI’, because while we receive with open arms all the support and aid, more on top of someone with the powerful history that he has had, a while ago we are already competing for the elections to preside over the UDI and that will continue.”
From the party they indicated to the aforementioned medium that Longueira’s nomination for the party presidency “dropped the bomb to make it more explosive”. However, they say that it “will not lead the UDI, because the UDI is no longer the same as before.”
Another important leader of the UDI argues that Longueira “will not turn the needle around on Apruebo”. In fact, within trade unionism there is consensus to stick around the Rejection option.
Matthei: Longueira is not in a position to preside over the UDI”
Another UDI militant who spoke about the reappearance of Pablo Longueira is The Mayor of Providence Evelyn Matthei. In an interview with CNN Chile, he argued that the former senator “is not in a position to preside over the UDI and I say this with respect,” referring to the oral trial he will have to face in the SQM case.
“The feeling of abuse of Chileans is very great, that gives rise to the violence that we have experienced in the country,” the building said.
“One of the main problems that we have and that caused the social outburst is that most people in Chile find it difficult to reach the end of the month and in the meantime we have politicians, generals, priests who have committed other kinds of abuses, we have entrepreneurs… deep down there is a robbery of Chileans that has not been punished enough by the courts, not by Comptroller’s Office, or by any party, and it is difficult to build anything in Chile because the institutions have come to a low in their credibility,” he said.
