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SANTIAGO, Dec. 13 (AP) — Chile’s political parties from left to right have agreed to another attempt to replace the constitution imposed by General Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship 40 years ago.
The agreement was announced in the former Congress building, the same place where Chile’s entire political sky – except not to join their Communist Party – agreed in 2019 to begin the constitutional process, which was ultimately rejected by 62% on September 4 voters.
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The rejection was a stinging setback for President Gabriel Borik, who had argued the document ushered in a new era of progress.
Chile’s current constitution is a pro-market document that favors the private sector over the state on things like education, pensions and health care, and makes no mention of indigenous peoples, who make up nearly 13 percent of the population.
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A majority of Chileans are in favor of amending the constitution, but opinion polls across the country of 19 million show caution about the process, leading to a clumsy 388-article charter that would introduce free education, health care and housing rights, and the establishment of self-governing indigenous territories, among other things.
This time, 14 political parties have agreed to convene a new committee of 24 experts appointed by Congress that will set the framework for 50 people, democratically elected, in April 2023 to draft a new charter. Representatives of Chile’s indigenous population will join them on the Commission, and their number will be determined in the same general election.
The final debate on Monday night revolved around the number of commissioners and how they should be selected. The ruling party wanted everyone involved to be elected, while the right-wing opposition wanted a mix of appointees and elected members. Both parties agreed to a deal.
The agreement also calls for a new charter that should be based on more than a dozen constitutional principles previously identified by the parties, including Chile having a unified but decentralized government with separate executive, judicial and legislative branches.
Other principles include the recognition of Chile’s 11 indigenous peoples as part of the Chilean nation; recognition of fundamental freedoms and rights, including the right to life and property, and that Chile’s military must always be subordinate to civilian government.
The parties also agreed that respect for these fundamental principles would be advocated by a neutral “arbitrator,” consisting of 14 judges appointed by Congress, one for each party.
Monday night’s deal must now be approved by a vote of 4/7 of Congress — 29 senators and 89 representatives. Members will then have five months to draft a new charter, which must be approved or rejected in a mandatory national vote late next year. (Associated Press)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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