The President of Chile, Gabriel borikvoted this morning in the national plebiscite that defines whether the country replaces its national constitution — inherited from the days of Augusto Pinochet — with the new version developed in recent months, where it affirmed that it is a “historic moment” for the country.
Boric voted in the southern city of Punta Arenas, in the Magallanes region, accompanied by his partner, Irina Karamanos, and his family. There he called the Chileans to exercise theirs “right and duty to be protagonists of the history of Chile“in the constitutional plebiscite that will approve or reject the proposed new Constitution.
Boric has gone to the polling station ever since his parents’ house is only half a block away. Along the way he received greetings and applause from people who came to greet him despite the cold.
The president, dressed in a black overcoat, arrived at 9:30 am (Punta Arenas has an hour longer than the rest of the country) at the Armando Quezada Acharan Industrial School and in less than five minutes he cast his vote to the applause of those present.
After leaving the polling station, as he had anticipated before entering, he spoke to the press and said so Chileans should “feel deeply proud“of the historical moment they are experiencing.
“I can guarantee that our will and action, Whatever the result, it will be the convening of a broad national unit of all sectors, social organizations, civil society, political parties, “said Boric.
“In Chile let’s resolve our differences with more democracy, never less. I am deeply proud to have come this far “, he reiterated to the press.
“This historic moment it will remain etched in our memory for a long time“Said the president, who, like the authorities of the table where he cast the vote, 246, always wore a mask.
“Regardless of the result”, he said that his role is “to find ourselves as a country” and “to continue to govern firmly at the helm”.
The president also announced it the establishment process will continue regardless of the outcomebecause if the approval wins, they will convene a commission of experts to collaborate in the implementation and changes of the new constitutional text, and if “the other option” wins, they will look for a way to start another constitutional process.
After voting in Punta Arenas, in Chile’s southernmost point, facing the Strait of Magellan, Boric was preparing to return on an Air Force flight to Santiago to follow the rest of the electoral process from the capital.
Furthermore, an announcement was made speech on national network for the nightonce the final outcome of the vote is known, which must approve or reject the text proposed by the Constitutional Convention.
While the polls foresee a probable triumph of the “Refusal– although in recent days the difference has narrowed and there is an air of uncertainty – Boric has already admitted that if the Constitution is approved, he is willing to introduce reforms.
In any case, the stage is open because, for the first time, voting is universal and mandatory and there is a large number of voters absent from the polls for years.
Days ago, in the middle of the campaign, the parties of the government alliance signed an agreement to commit to introducing the necessary changes to the application of the new text.
Source: Clarin
