On the day of the referendum on Chile’s new constitution, President Gabriel Boric voted early this morning in Punta Arenas, in the south of the country, along with his father and brother, who was attacked by protesters last Thursday (1st ). The plebiscite decides whether a new Charter will be adopted, to replace the one instituted under the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1915-2006).
On leaving, Boric said that, whether he wins the Approval or the Reject, he will convene on Monday (5) opposition forces and society to reach an agreement on how the process will proceed. Both paths are long because, if Approval wins, it will be necessary to regulate several aspects via Congress, and if Reprovo wins, it will be necessary to reach a consensus with Congress on how the new wording of the Charter will be organized.
“Today, people are looking at us from all over the world. In Chile, we solve problems with more democracy, not less,” said the leader.
Smiling, he evoked Salvador Allende as an inspiration and recalled that the first Marxist president in Latin America was elected on September 4, 1970. “I ask that everyone go out to vote calmly and wait for the results with confidence”, he said, smiling.
Regarding the attack on his brother, Simón, he said that “he is injured, but well”, and asked that confrontations be avoided on the day when “Chileans take an important step towards a country with more rights”.
In Geneva, former President Michelle Bachelet voted in the morning and made statements. “We must have a legal framework that allows equality for everyone. I am very happy because the entire process that took place in Chile and that led us to the plebiscite is a democratic, participatory process, which means that, as Chileans, we are capable of keep improving democracy.”
In Chile, the release of polls ten days before the vote is prohibited. However, behind the scenes, companies carry out bespoke surveys that end up circulating in the media.
The most recent, which circulated on Saturday (3), by Panel Ciudadano, pointed to a victory for Rejeito (53%) against Aprovo (47%).
In two polls with different methodology, only through reactions on social networks, Aprovo showed recovery after the end of the campaign, which brought together thousands on the streets of Santiago. These are surveys carried out by Espaço PolÃtico (55.1% for this option) and by Daoura (56%).
In an interview with a local press, Roberto Izikson, director of the Cadem consultancy, stated that “the plebiscite brings us an open scenario, and it depends on the levels of participation this Sunday.”
Voting is mandatory, but Servel (electoral body) estimates that turnout is around 80%.
