Gabriel Boric Font, President-elect: “My commitment will be to take care of democracy every day”

At about 9:45 p.m., the music on the stage located in the Alameda stopped. President-elect Gabriel Boric arrived at the venue after his victory in the second round. He entered in an unusual way for a President: through the public, although at one point he stopped to wait for his partner, Irina Karamanos.
On the stage arranged in the Santa Rosa sector, his family and close ones were already waiting for him. People in the audience were waiting for Boric’s first speech as President Sebastián Piñera’s successor. “Good evening, Chile,” he said at 9:54 p.m.
“It is a historic, exciting moment, in which the eyes of Chile and the world are seeing us,” he added, thanking the Chileans who went to vote this Sunday and those who could not vote because of “the lack of public transport. It cannot happen that on a day like this people are deprived, for whatever reasons, of exercising their right to vote.”
“The commitment they put in place for months, cannot be exhausted with this election. This commitment is necessary for all the years that the government lasts,” he said. After cardboard, he thanked his campaign manager, Izkia Siches, the technical teams, the political parties of Apruebo Dignidad and “other forces that have supported us.”
He also thanked the children “who filled me with drawings” with the “hopes of recovering places to play, a Chile where parents have more time to be with their children.”
Women were also part of Boric’s speech, which “organized to defend throughout the territory the rights that they have worked so hard to achieve.” “In our government to stop violence against diversities … will be fundamental.”
Boric thanked the Electoral Service (Servel) for the work in this election, the national and international press and the candidates who participated in the elections. “I want to thank Yasna Provoste, Sebastián Sichel, Marco Enríquez-Ominami, Eduardo Artés, and also José Antonio Kast,” regarding whom he mentioned that, despite the differences, “he has to form bridges to collaborate.”
“I’m 35 years old, and I know that history doesn’t start with us. We are heirs. I know that our project is part of the historical trajectory that has sought the protection of democracy and freedoms. We are facing a historic turn of the century and we cannot miss it.”
“I will be the President of all Chileans, of those who chose another alternative and of those who did not turn out to vote,” he said. “The demands for justice and freedom remain in people’s hearts. It will be difficult, we will move forward with short, but firm steps.”
Subsequently, Boric mentioned four important points in his future Government: one, in the economic, “only with social cohesion can we move towards a true development that reaches each Chilean family, and that reaches each Chilean SME. We do not want that old phrase of Nicanor Parra to remain reality. Those big headlines that took pride in progress and didn’t make it to the most vulnerable places are going to change.”
“Destabilizing democratic institutions leads to the law of the jungle. My commitment is to take care of democracy every day of our government. A democracy where neighborhoods and populations have a leading role, because a democracy without the people is not democracy,” was the second.
“That the substantive advances to be solid are going to require broad agreements, so as not to overwhelm us,” was the third. And last but not least, “respect for human rights is always and everywhere. An unwavering commitment, and that we never, for any reason, have to have a President declare war on his people.”
Health was another topic in his speech: “We cannot allow a child in regions not to have a specialist to treat cancer.” Pensions were also touched: “We cannot allow them to continue doing business at the expense of our pensions.” “The AFPs that in Chile earn absurd figures at the expense of Chileans are part of the problem. We are going to defend a public system, non-profit, and without AFP.”
“In every region we go to, in every town, the security emergency is a problem. Making populations free of drug trafficking will be part of the government,” Boric said, through culture, community sports, among other measures.
The Native Peoples were also part of the discourse of elected ruler, whom he wants to empower. The same goes for the environment. “The change cliIt’s not an invention,” Boric said. We don’t want more sacrifice zones, we don’t want more projects that destroy communities. No to Dominga.” “We can’t look to the side when our farmers and farmers don’t have water,” he said.
“Not everything can be done at the same time. And that we are going to prioritize to see those advances step by step. Our government will be open, open-handed, talking with its people to move forward. Because a government does not advance alone. Suffice it to say that you can make a government with the people, but without the people. With us, la Moneda, people enter,” said the President-elect.
“Today hope beat fear. Chileans, we have come this far with a government project that can be simplified in a few words,” Boric said, such as growing in social rights for all “regardless of the size of the wallet” and guaranteeing “a happier life. In our government, women will not back down on their rights.”
The constituent process was also part of his words: “We must defend and take care of it,” Boric said.
“On that night of triumph, I repeat the commitment we made in the campaign. We’re going to expand tax rights, taking care of the economy. We will do well, improving pensions, so that later we do not have to go back,” he said.
“I receive this mandate responsibly, because we are standing on the shoulders of giants. I guarantee you that I will be a President who guarantees democracy, who listens more than speaks, and who works for the quality of life of Chileans. We know that it is a day of great happiness, but that there are many who are not having a good time. The work ahead of us is enormous. We have to remain one. We have to keep working for the changes that the country needs. We will do so by governing with all people, adding ideas, opening doors and building bridges. In this way we will go step by step building the just homeland together with you. Let’s celebrate with peace of mind. Go home with the clean victory achieved. Let’s take care of the triumph and that from tomorrow we will have a lot to work on. With hope intact, with awareness of the challenges we face, that our government will be a government with its feet on the street. With this commitment I say goodbye to you, and telling you that I will leave the best of me to be able to live up to the trust that you gave me. We continue,” he closed at 10:24 p.m.

Original source in Spanish