Assembly Begins Draft of Chile's New Constitution

On Monday, the 155 members of the Constitutional Assembly began the process of writing a new Chilean Constitution.

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Chileans Commemorate Second Anniversary of 2019 Social Uprising

Organized in seven commissions, the Chilean lawmakers will have to fulfill their task until July 2022. Afterwards, the constitutional text must be submitted to a popular referendum.

Among other things, discussions on the contents of the new Constitution have focused on issues such as the size and attributions of the State, reforms to the pension system, and policies to contain climate change.

The Assembly formally began its sessions on Oct. 18, the day that marks the second anniversary of the social unrest against President Sebastian Piñera that took place in 2019.

At that time, the youth unleashed a political process that questioned the characteristics of the State and the Constitution inherited by the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship (1973-1990).

"This is a symbolic day, a day that Chile and the citizenry won together... We need to heal Chile's scars," the Constitutional Convention President Elisa Loncon said.

Thousands of citizens took to the streets to remember those who died as a result of the police brutality deployed by the Piñera regime. In their memory, they recalled their demands of universal public healthcare, free education, and higher pensions.