The fall of six ministers | Sebastián Piñera did …

Harbaded by the collapse of its popularity due to the deterioration of economic expectations and the poor perception of Chileans about their governance, President Sebastián Piñera announced Thursday a reshuffle of his government that affects six portfolios, including the ministry. Foreign Affairs.

At a ceremony at the presidential palace in La Moneda, shortly after, it was known that its popularity index had dropped 12 points since December, to 25%, a level lower than that of its predecessor Michelle Bachelet (2014 -2018) at the same time. Piñera has announced changes in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, Economy, Public Works, Social Development and Energy.

Teodoro Ribera, a lawyer and former justice minister during his first government from 2010 to 2014, will now be in charge of diplomacy. He will replace the writer Roberto Ampuero, criticized for his lack of experience in this area. Ribera, an academic and politician with little charismatic and no diplomatic experience, led the drafting of the electoral program during the Piñera campaign and was director of the foreign policy program of the Libertad Institute, linked to one of the parties. that make up Chile Vamos. , the coalition that led Piñera to the government.

Three other ministers left the cabinet: José Ramón Valente of the economy, Susana Jiménez de Energía and Emilio Santelices de Salud. Two others changed their ministry: Alfredo Moreno moved from Social Development to Public Works and Juan Andrés Fontaine left public works to integrate into the economy. Jaime Mañalich (Health), Juan Carlos Jober (Energy) and Sebastián Sichel (Social Development).

The ministerial reform confirms in its positions the pieces of the so-called political trident formed by Andrés Chadwick in the interior, Gonzalo Blumel at the general secretariat of the presidency and Cecilia Pérez as spokesperson.

"This year 2019 will be a more demanding year and for many reasons," said Piñera in a brief announcement of changes to La Moneda, attributing to the "external front" factors the lower performance of the local economy, which should pbad this year below three percent. On the national front, the president has blamed the "obstacles" his government has faced in Congress, where the opposition is in the majority.

Despite the speculation of the press, Piñera has chosen to leave intact the so-called "Political Committee" of his cabinet: ministers of the portfolios of the Interior, General Secretariat of the Government and the Presidency, with whom he shares a strong personal proximity , but with which the opposition asked for the exit to improve the climate of understanding.

"There is a problem in the political direction, therefore, we do not understand what are the changes announced this Friday," criticized the president of the opposition party, Christian Democracy Fuad Chahin.

This remodeling coincides with the investigation into the expected popularity of the president, conducted between April 26 and June 3 by the Center for Political Studies. Only 25 percent of respondents approve of how Piñera is running his second government and 66 percent have no confidence in what the hyperactive president says. In addition, 62% of respondents believe that the country's economic situation "will not change".

This is the second cabinet reshuffle in the past 15 months that the Conservative president has been in power. After a good first year of growth of the Chilean economy by 4%, the beginning of the second year of government has been more hectic, with a slowing of the economy in an uncertain international context and social conflicts, including a teachers' strike. it lasts almost two weeks.

Piñera has sent to Congress a reform introducing amendments to a tax law pbaded under the previous government and a pension law, which aims to improve the number of very poor pensions offered by the current system, a legacy of the dictatorship of 39. Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990). . He also proposed a reform of the health system and a controversial amendment to the education regulations sanctioned by Bachelet's latest administration.

"I do not understand the cabinet change because in addition to the obvious, which was Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Health and the Economy, the truth is that there are portfolios where there are difficulties and ministers, as in education, "lamented the president of the Christian Democratic Party. Chahín S addressing the Radio Cooperativa website, he added that "there is no change in the political committee and that there is obviously a behavioral problem and political appreciation of the government ".

On the Broad Front side, MP Giorgio Jackson said it was not "a coincidence" that cabinet change had occurred just after experiencing the results of "an investigation that was a lapidary for the management of the government and I think it is bad for Chile ".

"All these modernizations and reforms, despite our permanent desire for dialogue and the search for agreements, have not been able to go forward with the attitude, the speed and depth required by the country and the Chileans, "said the president.