The controversy over the primaries between the Christian Democracy (DC) and the Socialist Party (PS) is far from over. Yesterday, Senate President Yasna Provoste criticized that “those who are most responsible for asking for primaries, have never even submitted to an election in the neighborhood council,” referring to the presidential candidate of the Socialist Party (PS), Paula Narvaez, although without naming her directly.
This Thursday, at a press point, the parliamentarian again addressed the issue: “I am sorry to have to refer to this issue again. We have been emerging from an important session to define the renewal of the constitutional state of emergency. These are the issues that concern the country.”
Provoste maintained that “when the government arrives to request the extension of the constitutional state of emergency, it is to be able to advance in measures that protect people, also at a time when a new strain has been announced that arrives in our country.”
“It seems to me that continuing to talk about the primaries is a concern that is of interest to the political elite. We are concerned about the problems facing real Chile, the problems faced by the fairgrounds that today the government wants to exclude from the relief bond of 1 million pesos,” he added.
He also considered that “they are the problems faced by cultural workers that, based on the regulations of the Ministry of Finance, have left them excluded from the benefits of economic aid. These are the problems faced by small entrepreneurs who want to reopen.”
On the other hand, the Leader of the Senate charged that “there are those who unsuccessfully attempted a primary. It didn’t work out for them, and now they’ve made this effort an everyday media exercise.”
Minimum wage
Yasna Provoste also addressed the issue of the minimum wage, saying that “it has been delayed precisely because there has not been an agreement, and because there has not been a different proposal from the government.”
“It has been delayed because the Finance Committee has informed us that they have repeatedly requested that the government meet with the Single Confederation of Workers, that we can bring forward an agreement that puts the workers at the center, and that is why all the facilities have been provided so that the joint commission can work , and we hope that the government will relax its positions and that we can really, from next week, have better news for the workers of Chile,” he said.
And in relation to the health crisis facing the country, the parliamentarian said that “we are absolutely aware that in the coming stage, it is crucial the effort to continue caring for people, that social aid arrives in opportunity, but that we also recognize that Chile is a very diverse country, and that the health protocols for the opening of small businesses must be a reality. ”
“In addition, there must be support to be able to carry out and implement these health protocols. We do not want the health crisis to deepen further, but neither do we want the economic and social crisis to deepen further. And the majority of the Senate has given approval to the President’s request to extend the constitutional state of emergency,” he said.
