Chile's Election of Gabriel Boric Is A Positive Sign For The Future

 I've been wanting to post something, anything, to note that the people of Chile elected a young leftist to be their new president Gabriel Boric.  This isn't meant to be exhaustive, but rather to remind people of this victory of Progressives over the Far Right in Chile Sunday. These stories tend to get lost in the clutter of what passes for news media today.  

The next generation is ready to assume power.  It's a hopeful sign and a reminder to invest in our younger generations and let them work on the decisions that are going to affect their futures.  

He was running against a Kast who had come out slightly ahead in the general election, but lost by over 10% in the runoff this past Sunday.  Kast admires Chile's previous dictator Pinochet.  Kast also was against gay rights - gay marriage has passed the Chilean legislature and is about to go into effect - and against abortion, against immigration.  

In Santiago in July 2019, a local guide (AirBNB, besides having places to stay, has lots of local guides who take you on small very specialized tours) was giving President Allende's history. (When Pinochet took over in a coup, Allende committed suicide in the President's palace, which was being bombed by the military, rather than risk being captured and tortured into revealing other supporters.  Or so the guide told us.  But it fits with a fascinating film at the 2019 Anchorage International Film Festival - Nat Pasaran - about Scottish defense workers who refused to continue working on jets that Pinochet was using.  

As our guide was talking, a man in his 50s or 60s, well dressed, walked by and made very negative comments about Allende.  I'm sure he voted for Kast at this election.  

And supports an economic system that favors the wealthy.  In many ways he's like a Trump clone.  But radically different from Trump, 

"in a model of democratic civility that broke from the polarizing rhetoric of the campaign, Kast immediately conceded defeat, tweeting a photo of himself on the phone congratulating his opponent on his “grand triumph.” He then later traveled personally to Boric’s campaign headquarters to meet with his rival." [From CNBC]

Chile just elected a leftist president who's promising to fight neo-liberalism, inequality and the climate crisis. pic.twitter.com/cEDnGbDMgs

— AJ+ (@ajplus) December 23, 2021

My young friend in Santiago sent this picture on Monday with the comment, "Graffiti I found walking home."

I don't know how well Boric will serve as president.  Running a government takes but there's no reason to think he's not capable.  Alexander the Great was dead already at 32.  Kennedy became president at 43.  

A couple of other ways (besides Wikipedia) to find out more:

TNI:  Beyond the headlines: 10 preliminary questions and answers on Chile’s recent presidential election  - this one gives context of Chile and Latin America as well as Boric and Kast

The Guardian:  Gabriel Boric vows to ‘fight privileges of the few’ as Chile’s president

LA Times:  Chile’s new president (Taylor’s version): Gabriel Boric is a Swiftie - a lighter take.