In what has been hailed as a “victory for the left”, the young socialist’s win has enthused progressives around the world, including in the UK.
Gabriel Boric, a leftist millennial who climbed to eminence during the wave of anti-government, anti-neoliberalism protests, has been elected as Chile’s new president.
The 35-year-old is the country’s youngest ever president. He scored the highest number of votes of any president in Chile’s history.
Boric won 56% of the votes compared to 44% of his opponent, right-wing populist, Jose Antonio Kast.
Committed to eradicating the neoliberal economic models levied on Chile by the US-backed coup of General Augusto Pinochet in 1973, which resulted in the overthrow of the nation’s last elected socialist government, Gabriel Boric’s decisive win illustrates Chile’s revolt against a system centred on the welfare of the rich.
Chile wants change
The comfortable win sends a clear message – voters in Chile want change.
In what has been hailed as a “victory for the left”, Boric’s win has enthused progressives around the world, including in the UK.
No sooner had the news of the historic victory surfaced, left-wing commentators, politicians and the left-leaning media in the UK, shared their support of the young former leftist student leader’s win.
Guardian columnist Owen Jones took to Twitter, writing:
“It’s official.
@gabrielboric – the left-wing candidate to be next President of Chile – has defeated the far right pro-Pinochet supporter.
48 years since Salvador Allende was overthrown – and modern neoliberalism began – this is a monumental victory for Chileans – and all of us.”
‘At last, some good news’
Such was Jones’ elation of the victory, which he referred to as being good news at last, that the political journalist dedicated his live show to discussion with David Adler – general coordinator of the Progressive International, which Boric is a member of, on the “left’s sensational victory in Chile” and what it means for Latin American and beyond.
Among Boric’s promises to create a more equal society in Chile is to build a comprehensive public and not-for-profit social security system. The reforms will include the abolishing of the joint-stock companies which manage pension funds, known as AFPs, which form the basis of the privatised pension system that was established by Pinochet.
Support of the young Chilean’s pledges for social reform and to “take care of democracy every day” flooded the Twittersphere.
“The nightmare that began with Pinochet in Chile in 1973 may be finally ending. A young reformer, Gabriel Boric, has won the election run off,” someone tweeted.
Another wrote: “Now, for the first time in many years there is now news from that country, as Gabriel Boric the leader of a progressive coalition wins the presidential election.”
Some MPs also shared their enthusiasm for the win.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Labour MP for Streatham, sent a “huge congratulations” to Gabriel Boric.
“The Chilean people have decisively rejected the legacy of Pinochet and neoliberalism in favour of a brighter, socialist future,” said the socialist MP.
Richard Burgon, Labour MP for East Leeds and secretary of the Social Campaign Group of Labour MPs, said:
“In Chile the people have mobilised against price hikes, privatisation and inequality.
They mobilised and won a process to draw up a new constitution that will put people first.
They mobilised and have now elected a progressive government.
“This is the power that people have.”
The media reacts
The socialist newspaper, the Morning Star, referred to Boric’s equality-rousing address to the crowd, with the president-elect vowing to hundreds of thousands of supporters gathered in the streets of Santiago, to “take care of democracy every day of our government … a democracy where neighbourhoods and local populations play the leading role” and that the people of Chile will “no longer will permit that the poor keep paying the price of Chile’s inequality.”
“Chile’s victorious left deserves our solidarity – and our vigilance,” writes the Morning Star.
Noting how the decisive victory reflects Chileans’ “revolt against a threadbare welfare system and a society systemically stacked in the favour of the rich,” the Guardian referred to Boric’s triumph as putting “wind in the sails of Latin America’s resurgent left.”
The Peace and Justice Project, the group dedicated to uniting people for social and economic justice, peace and human rights, expressed hope that Boric’s resounding win will bring “a bright new dawn in Latin American politics.”
The organisation’s founder Jeremy Corbyn posted an image of the “huge crowds in Chile to see hope”, accompanied with the message that the victory is “truly an example of collective struggle for the world.”
Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead is a contributing editor to Left Foot Forward.
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