SANTIAGO – Several members of Chilean opposition parties have publicly said they are in favor of a constitutional accusation against the president. Such an accusation would start a political procedure that could end in his impeachment. The subject would be the alleged abuse of power and tax evasion exposed by the Pandora Papers.
Several members of the opposition parties have declared themselves in favor of a constitutional accusation against President Sebastián Piñera. Such an accusation could lead to his impeachment. Even members of the president’s own party are said to be studying the possibilities.
Christian Democrat representative Gabriel Silber said a statement in the media by the opposition would not be enough. “We will have to take measures,” he wrote. Socialist Party-member Daniella Cicardini declared herself “available to support a constitutional accusation against President Piñera.” Other opposition members, such as Pamela Jiles, Tomás Hirsch, Daniel Nuñez, and Jaime Mulet are also said to be in favor.
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More surprising was the support of Andrés Celis, representative and, together with the president himself, member of the National Renewal-party. Celis said he would vote in favor of an investigative commission in the lower house, the first step in a possible impeachment. According to government spokesman Jaime Bellolio, such an accusation would be “anti-democratic.”
President Piñera would be the first president in Chilean history to be constitutionally accused twice in one term. In 2019, opposition members filed an accusation against him over the human rights violations committed during protests that same year. The accusation failed to garner enough votes to pass.
Editor-In-Chief Boris van der Spek is the founder of Chile Today.