Sebastián Piñera: 4 moments that defined the governments of the late former Chilean president

Sebastián Piñera was, without a doubt, a major figure in the recent history of Chile.

The politician and businessman presided over the South American country in two periods: from 2010 to 2014, and from 2018 to 2022.

Chilean authorities confirmed that he died in a helicopter crash in the center of the country this Tuesday at the age of 74.

His eight-year government was characterized by continuity Fluctuations in popularity and intense social conflictPinera faced all kinds of challenges.

We review some of the moments that marked his two terms in power.

Piñera assumed the presidency for the first time in March 2010, succeeding Michelle Bachelet.

His victory in the election against Concertación candidate Eduardo Frei marked a turning point in Chilean politics.

It marked the end of two decades of government by a centre-left coalition, which had won every election since the end of the military regime of General Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990).

He was also the first centre-right politician to become head of the country in 52 years.

This milestone meant the beginning of a new era In which leaders of different ideological tendencies came to power in turn, which experts consider an example of the evolution of Chile’s democratic system toward maturity and pluralism.

The beginning of his tenure was marked by Chile’s economic recovery following the impact of the 2008 global financial crisis, as well as reconstruction in the country’s central region. The devastating earthquake and tsunami of February 2010,

During his first government, Piñera focused on policies aimed at economic recovery, promoting investment, and strengthening infrastructure and development.

Chile grew by an average of 5.3% annually, two points higher than under the previous government, although the then-president received strong criticism for persistent problems such as high social inequality and a lack of public financing in the education sector, which provoked strong student protests. . Oppose.

In August 2010 an accident occurred at the San José mine in the mid-north of the country. 33 miners at 600 meters deep.

The rescue required a long and complex engineering operation that lasted until October that year.

Aware of the magnitude of the challenge and the international attention generated by this case, the President mobilize all available resourcesBoth national and international to ensure the rescue of miners.

The event was a watershed moment for Piñera’s government, which had taken office only five months earlier.

Government became deeply involved in rescue, experts say it was a decision both humanitarian and strategic,

The President visited the accident site several times, where he promised the miners’ families and the public that the government would do everything possible to rescue the 33 people.

rescue operation, which Successfully completed after 69 days The efforts were broadcast live to millions of viewers around the world.

The conduct of the operation and its happy ending gave a significant boost to Piñera’s popularity, leading to strengthened its leadership before Chilean public opinion and saw its image strengthened in the international arena.

On the other hand, the rescue also sparked widespread debate about the safety conditions in Chile’s mines and the need to reform the mining industry, one of the country’s economic pillars.

After being criticized for shortcomings in workplace safety regulations and employee protection, the President announced measures aimed at improving these aspects.

This incident is, to date, considered the largest and most successful rescue of miners worldwide, as well as the most publicized.

And, for Piñera, it was the sweetest moment of his increasingly turbulent 8 years of government.

The current President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, mentioned the episode during the message he delivered this Tuesday for Piñera’s death, which he ordered to be dismissed with a state funeral and three days of national mourning.

Boric said that one of the moments when Pinera “really wanted what he thought was best for the country” was “when he took a risk with great determination and courage to save 33 miners from the San Jose mine. raised.”

In October 2019, already during Piñera’s second government, Chile was shaken by a wave of protests and demonstrations unprecedented in its recent history.

What started as a student protest became a popular cry for fundamental changes in the country’s socio-economic model.

known as “”social outbreak”, a period of unrest in which a section of society – especially young people – took to the streets to demand deep structural changes, was the biggest challenge for the president in his two terms.

The demonstration over the increase in Santiago metro fares turned into a broader movement that questioned inequality, the high cost of living, the privatization of essential services, the pension system, and the constitution in place since the dictatorship.

The Piñera government responded with the declaration of a state of emergency, curfew, and deployment of law enforcement, with prolonged and 34 people died in violent clashes Thousands more were injured and arrested.

Piñera was widely criticized in Chile for his initial response to the protests, including this statement, which was rejected by political leaders and civil society members: “We are at war against a powerful, formidable enemy who respects no one and respects no one.”,

In an effort to crush the protests, Piñera announced a series of reforms that included increases in the minimum wage and pensions, stabilization of electricity rates, and changes to the health and education systems.

However, many saw these measures as inadequate and too late, and The President’s popularity was at its lowest,

International organizations such as Human Rights Watch and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights condemned the excessive use of force by security forces under his government, and demanded that it guarantee respect for human rights.

Politically, the “social outbreak” prompted a constituent process that would culminate in a referendum in October 2020 where an overwhelming majority of Chileans voted in favor of drafting a new constitution, a matter that remains incomplete today.

In any case, Sebastián Piñera’s legacy was deeply marked by this wave of protests that began in 2019 and His personality was essentially linked to a period of deep social and political division. in Chile.

At the Latin American level, Piñera’s mandate was also marked by agreements and disputes with countries in the region.

During his first presidency, he signed the Framework Agreement with his counterparts from Colombia, Mexico and Peru in 2012, which officially gave birth to the Pacific Alliance, at a summit he hosted in the Atacama Desert.

This union was supposed to further economic integration between the countries and open up Asia. An initiative favorable to free markets and free trade In a region where leftist governments were in abundance.

Piñera was also the first pro tempore President of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which was established in former President Hugo Chávez’s Venezuela in 2011 as a regional association without the United States or Canada.

It was a sign that, despite the great ideological distances between them, Pinera Agreement reached with Chavez,

When the Venezuelan socialist leader died in 2013, Piñera described him as “a man deeply committed to the unification of Latin America.”

But during his tenure as President, Pinera also had disputes with neighboring countries.

This was a case with Peru that this country presented before the International Court of Justice in The Hague in 2008 against Chile during Michelle Bachelet’s first term in office for the delimitation of the maritime border.

The case was resolved in January 2014 with a verdict that both Piñera and his then-Peruvian counterpart, Ollanta Humala, considered fair.

Bolivia also filed a lawsuit against Chile in the Hague in 2013 during the presidency of Evo Morales for sea-drain, which was ultimately dismissed.

Despite deep differences between the two, Morales on Tuesday expressed his condolences over the death of Piñera, with whom he said he had “worked side by side on many issues.”

Remember that you can get notifications from BBC Mundo. Download the new versions of our apps and activate them so you don’t miss our best content.