Chile’s Opposition Agrees To Seek Piñera Impeachment

After the revelations made by the Pandora Papers (PP), opposition parties announced they are working on a Constitutional accusation against Chil'e's President Sebastian Piñera.

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According to the PP, the Piñera family was involved in the sale of the controversial Minera Dominga project to businessman Carlos Alberto Delano. This operation was carried out in the British Virgin Islands tax haven.

The accusation will be formally presented in the next few days. Its promoters are the Communist Party (PC), the Socialist Party (PS), the Broad Front (FA), the Democratic Party (DC), the Party for Democracy (PPD), and the Social Green Regionalist Federation (FRVS).

"He compromised national honor by privileging private profit and interest over the defense of the environment", said PC lawmaker Daniel Nuñez. The PS spokesman Jaime Naranjo confirmed that "all opposition groups" agreed on the accusation against Piñera.

This process may lead to the removal of the President. To make this happen, an absolute majority in the Senate is required. The opposition wants this vote to take place before Nov. 21, when Chile will hold its parliamentary and presidential elections.

The Executive branch denied the Pandora Papers information and affirmed that there was no conflict of interest, as the Piñera “had no knowledge” of his companies' operations. the Chilean president also said that the structure of the sale and the payment clause were made public by the media in 2017.

Attorney General Jorge Abbott has already instructed the Anti-Corruption Unit (UAC) to investigate the existence of possible tax crimes linked to influence peddling or conflict of interest.