Former president Tabaré Vázquez (2005-2010) will seek the presidential candidacy of the ruling Frente Amplio (FA) in 2014. Vázquez confirmed his intention to run after receiving the support of almost all of the myriad factions within the broad left-wing coalition for his candidacy. Having left office with an approval rating of close to 80%, Vázquez should emulate Chile’s Michelle Bachelet (2006-2010) by winning primary elections at a canter, assuming any other FA politician dares to challenge him, and also like Bachelet, will be the overwhelming favourite to secure a second term. Vázquez met a small group of FA grandees to…
New minimum wage proposal: On 29 July President Piñera unveiled his new minimum wage proposal, which would increase the current monthly rate of Ch$193,000 (US$381) to C$210,000 (US$411). This is the second minimum wage proposal put forward by the Piñera government this year, after congress rejected its previous offer of an increase to C$205,000 (US$401). Piñera’s latest offer, which he noted represented a nominal readjustment of 8.8%, or 7.9% in real terms (based on annual inflation in the 12 months to May 2013), was approved in general by the lower chamber on 5 August and is currently being discussed in…
A recent visit by the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism, Ben Emmerson, has subjected the government led by President Sebastián Piñera to fresh criticism over the long-running dispute with the indigenous Mapuche community over land claims. Following a 14-day visit to the country, Emmerson criticised the Chilean State for its handling of the Mapuche issue and urged authorities to “refrain from applying anti-terrorism legislation” to Mapuche protests. Emmerson’s strong words echo other recent international criticism, serving to highlight President Piñera’s failure to make good on promises like the constitutional recognition of indigenous peoples, which he…
The 17 November presidential contest has taken another unexpected turn. Just over two weeks after winning the 30 June primaries [RBS-13-07], Pablo Longueira, the candidate for the ruling Coalición por el Cambio, bowed out, citing health reasons. The ruling coalition appears to have averted a fresh internal crisis, swiftly naming Labour Minister Evelyn Matthei as its replacement to face the current electoral favourite, former President Michelle Bachelet (2006-2010) of the quadripartite Concertación coalition. Like Longueira, Matthei hails from the conservative senior partner in the governing coalition, Unión Demócrata Independiente (UDI). While the junior partner, Renovación Nacional (from which President Sebastián…
Argentina has held its open, simultaneous and mandatory primaries, with results that have rattled the government of President Cristina Fernández and encouraged both the dissident Peronist camp and the left-of-centre parties that make up the bulk of the non-Peronist opposition. With the last leg of campaigning for the 27 October legislative elections now underway, all three of these camps have rushed to present the outcome in the most favourable light possible. Figuring out what the results portend for those elections is no easy task, because there is no necessary direct correlation between the primaries and the actual votes for seats…