The streets of central Santiago began to fill with Gabriel Boric supporters as soon as the first partials of the Chilean presidential count showed the leftist candidate’s advantage.
With the rapid pace of counting and the perception that the result would be irreversible, many headed this Sunday night (19th) towards Baquedano Square —also called Dignity—, walking along the downtown avenues, close to the stage where the president elected would make the first speech.
There were flags from Chile, others with the name of Boric and many more with the symbol of the Mapuche indigenous people and in reference to diversity. Vendors a few meters from the square were selling flags, caps and beer, although there were those who arrived bringing their own bottle of champagne.
On the pedestal of the square, where the statue of General Baquedano once stood, epicenter of the 2019 protests and meeting point for various political festivities, a group climbed up and began to gather different flags. The part of the pedestal that had been painted white by Kast’s followers was already all overtaken with phrases in support of Boric. “The right is gone,” said one of them.
“They didn’t pass, we won, except fascists,” shouted some young women as they walked in green scarves, a symbol of support for abortion rights. Others provoked the police officers who guarded the place: “I want to see them repressed now”, some young men were told by the security agents.
There were posters with the names and photos of people arrested in 2019, accused of vandalism during the acts, as well as detained Mapuche militants. “Freedom for prisoners to fight,” shouted the protesters.
Several war cries were sung, among which the famous “the people, united, will never be defeated”. There was also the campaign, “feel, feel, Boric President”, as well as insults to Lucía Hiriart, Pinochet’s widow, and to the dictator himself: “The old woman died, as murderous as Pinochet”.
Parents carried small children on their shoulders and many took selfies with the party in the background. Similar celebrations took place in other parts of the city, such as in Ñuñoa, a middle-class neighborhood. In the noblest regions of the city, such as Las Condes and Vitacura, where Kast won, silence.
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