translated from Spanish: Government insists on constitutionality reserve against third 10% withdrawal and closes door to Lavín’s proposal

“This project contraviates a TC ruling.” Thus, the Under-Secretary-General of the Presidency, Maximo Pavez, referred to the third withdrawal of 10% of the pension funds that culminated in its processing in the Constitution Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, so together with the minister of the portfolio, Juan José Ossa, they announced the constitutional reserve. The initiative will now be discussed in the Chamber.
The 10% third withdrawal project had broad support in its debate in Sala, generally being approved with 122 votes in favour, 20 against and 4 abstentions. Only 19 Members of Chile Vamos did not support this proposal.
However, since the Executive announced their intention to go to the Constitutional Court (TC), considering that the permanent reform with which the opposition sought to avoid this process did not succeed as it did not have official votes.
In this regard, the Minister of the Segpres Juan José Ossa thanked “particularly those Deputies of Chile Vamos who accompanied us in this application and we value it because it had happened for the first time in our constitutional history that through a permanent provision we would try situations that are certainly transient in their essence and also sought to continue to undermine our constitutional institutionality. In this sense, and true to what the Government believes it should do, we think it is very good news that the idea of legislating has been rejected.”
Regarding what was approved, Ossa argued that “we still think it is a bad public policy, we still consider that it undermines our constitutional institutionality, but at the same time it has only been an approval in general, which means that we remain vigilant to continue to try to convince ourselves that this is a bad public policy, to continue to convince that our institutionality is respected , but it has also been only an approval in general and consequently we do not know the particular text in detail.”
“The Government’s position is one: we must respect institutionality, we must respect the Constitution. But we don’t know the particular text, so the rest would be ahead of what we don’t know,” the minister added.
However, he emphasized that the Government will do its duty, without its right, to enforce or request that the Constitution be respected.”
No agreement on Lavín’s proposal
On the other hand, the Secretary of State acknowledged that no agreement was reached with Chile Vamos regarding presenting a parallel proposal based on the approach made by the mayor of Las Condes and presidential candidate of the UDI, Joaquín Lavín, to withdraw funds from the Cesantía Insurance.
Ossa noted that “indeed the last few days there were talks with different leaders of Chile Vamos where the possibility related to possible withdrawals from the AFC was discussed and explored. These talks did not reach the final port, but the government is always obviously talking, especially with its coalition, about how agreements can be reached and families helped. But today, that alternative didn’t come to an end, but there’s always the conversation.”
Although the minister detailed that this proposal is not ruled out, he did say that “finally the last details were not refined, today is therefore not something that the Government will push forward. But I insist, this is always a government with open doors that will continue to receive suggestions.”

Original source in Spanish