Six Politicians To Compete In Chilean Presidential Primaries

On Sunday, Chile’s Approve Dignity leftist coalition and the Go Chile right-wing alliance will define their presidential candidates for the November 21 elections.

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In the rightist coalition, four politicians compete: the Independent Democratic Union (UDI) candidate Joaquin Lavin, the Political Evolution (EVO) candidate Ignacio Briones, the National Renovation (RN) candidate Mario Desbordes, and the independent politician Sebastian Sichel.

On the side of the Approve Dignity alliance, citizens will choose between the Social Convergence (CS) candidate Gabriel Boric and Chile’s Communist Party (PC) candidate Daniel Jadue.

Right-wing candidates

IGNACIO BRIONES: this engineer and economist served as International Finance coordinator, Public Credit director, and Sovereign Funds director during President Sebastian Piñera’s first tenure (2010-2014).

He was also Chile's representative to the Group of Twenty (G20) in 2012 and ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2013. Briones served as Housing Minister in the current mandate. However, he left office on January to start his presidential candidacy.

In case of reaching the presidency, he will promote decentralization, tourism, the use of renewable energies, and the establishment of a universal basic income.

JOAQUIN LAVIN: this economist is running for President for the third time, after reaching the second round in the 1999 election.

For two terms in the 1990s, Lavin served as Las Condes Mayor, a wealthy neighborhood in Santiago de Chile. He also was Education Minister during Piñera’s first administration.

Lavin proposes a minimum income of about US$660 and a basic solidarity pension that starts in over US$230.

MARIO DESBORDES: this lawyer and former rabbi was part of the team of advisers that led Piñera to the presidency of the Republic.

In the 2017 parliamentary elections, he was elected lawmaker for the Colina, Lampa, Tiltil, Quilicura, Pudahuel, Central Station, Cerrillos, and Maipu communes, which belong to the Metropolitan Region.

On July 28, 2020, he was appointed as National Defense Minister, thus leaving his party’s presidency and position in the Lower House.

Desbordes proposes to create an universal health care plan and improve the current pension system. He also plans to increase the social legitimacy of the Military Police (Carabineros) and create a Victims' Defense Office.

SEBASTIAN SICHEL: this law professor had a private practice before Piñera appointed him as vice president of the Production Development Corporation (CORFO) in 2018.

Between 2019 and 2020, Sichel headed the Social Development Ministry and the State Bank. His administration would focus on reducing bureaucracy and freeing up entrepreneurship. He also proposes that citizens choose whether their retirement savings will be managed by a public institution, a private company, or a private non-profit organization.

Leftist candidates

DANIEL JADUE: this Communist candidate began his public life participating in solidarity actions with the struggle of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from 1987 to 1993. 

He served as the Palestinian’s Students General Union President and Youth Organization General Coordinator in Latin America. Currently, he is Santiago de Chile’s Recoleta commune Mayor.

Jadue proposes giving citizens the possibility that they decide whether their savings will be placed in private insurance agencies or in the public pension system. He also promised to increase the mining tax to rise public revenues.

GABRIEL BORIC: this 35-year-old lawyer, who is the youngest candidate to stand in the primary elections, served as president of the National Student Federation President in 2011 and as lawmaker for the Magallanes and Antarctic Region.

Boric proposes to create a new National Care System and transform labor laws so as to ensure democratic and equal participation of workers in company boards.

He vows to comply with human rights standards and promote a democratic and participatory debate. He also promises to advance in tax reform.