Crisis of pardons in Chile

The decision of the Government of Gabriel Boric to pardon 13 convicts, 12 of them for crimes committed in the social riots of October three years ago, has unleashed a controversy that is still far from subsiding.

The measure was adopted at a bad time (on December 30, just before New Year's Eve) and its justification has generated political turbulence far removed from the need for Chilean society to regain confidence in its leaders.

The crisis culminated in the fall of the Minister of Justice and Boric's trusted man and chief of staff, both militants from the same party as the president, the Broad Front.

In this case, the president's power to pardon those convicted of various crimes has not been questioned, because the Constitution allows it.

What has caused the controversy has been the moment chosen by the Government to grant the freedoms and the profile of some of those pardoned: just when the Minister of the Interior, Carolina Tohá, was about to seal an agreement on security with the opposition, frozen after pardons.

What the president is reproached for, even in private from the official environment itself, has been a process that Boric himself classified as "messy."

Apparently there was such a level of improvisation that on the day the pardons were published, the government ran several lists, with names coming and going, and finally decided to pardon them all.

Among the beneficiaries are people with a long police record prior to 2019, such as Luis Castillo, who disguises his profile as a common criminal with an unsophisticated discourse of a radical politician.

The government spokesperson, Camila Vallejo, helped fuel the discussion by explaining that "if the president had had all the elements in view, the situation would have been different," making it clear that Boric did not know the past of the beneficiaries.

Citizens have punished what happened.

According to the Cadem survey, disapproval of Boric reached 70%, rising nine points in one week.

He contributed to fueling the discussion by explaining that "if the president had had all the elements in view, the situation would have been different", making it clear that Boric did not know the past of the beneficiaries.

Citizens have punished what happened.

According to the Cadem survey, disapproval of Boric reached 70%, rising nine points in one week.

He contributed to fueling the discussion by explaining that "if the president had had all the elements in view, the situation would have been different", making it clear that Boric did not know the past of the beneficiaries.

Citizens have punished what happened.

According to the Cadem survey, disapproval of Boric reached 70%, rising nine points in one week.

The paralysis of the security agreement has been one of the unwanted effects of the measure.

In Chile today it is a recognized problem: crime has changed and it has better weapons.

The country suffers from the action of international organized crime and certain crimes, such as homicides, have increased by 32.2% in the last 12 months.

The population suffers from it and, according to a survey by the Center for Public Studies, crime, assaults and robberies are the first priority to which the Government should dedicate its efforts, above issues as relevant as health, pensions and The education.

It is a highly controversial issue that must be treated with the utmost care by the Government.

Security is not for the left or the right, but a social need in which slippages are paid for in spades.