Chile Votes To Replace Pinochet- Era Constitution: Early Referendum Results

[appalachiablue]

Source: DW

The current document was created in the 1980s under a right-wing military dictatorship. With a small percentage of the votes counted, it appears the majority of Chileans want a new constitution.

Chileans voted overwhelmingly to replace their military dictatorship-era constitution in a referendum, the electoral service said on Sunday evening, citing partial results. With over 97% of the votes counted so far, about 78% had approved the option of a fresh charter to replace one drafted in 1980 under the right-wing dictator Augusto Pinochet.

The results showed that an overwhelming majority of the more than 7.5 million registered votes supported the election of a body of 155 citizens to draft the new constitution, rather than a body with half its members elected citizens and half of lawmakers. Voter turnout was around 50% of the 14.7 million registered voters, similar to the turnout in the second round of the country's previous presidential election.

Center-right President Sebastian Pinera pledged the referendum in a bid to quell mass protests that broke out in 2019 against the country's neoliberal economic policies. More than 14 million people, both at home and abroad, were eligible to vote in the referendum. It was widely seen as the most important vote in Chile since the return to democracy in 1990.

Read more: https://www.dw.com/en/chile-votes-to-replace-pinochet-era-constitution-early-referendum-results/a-55394621

---

- Chileans celebrated the early results across the country.

[gab13by13]

1. The economic guidelines for Chile,

were drawn up by Milton Friedman and the Chicago School of Economics. I worked in Chile for 2 years and I saw the results of the Libertarian economy. Everything was privatized, no government regulations, nothing close to OSHA, women were not allowed to work in all jobs, only the rich got a good education. I saw entire families eating out together, eating out of a dumpster. It is the dream that the Republicans have for America.

Chile had a Socialist economy with a flourishing middle class, Nixon, Kissinger, and our CIA conspired with Pinocet to overthrow the government in Chile. Pinocet drove tanks up the main street and fired rockets into the government building. He then killed or imprisoned anyone on the left. I know, I was there in 2002- 2003, a man unloaded on me because he knew I was an American, I didn't speak Spanish that well but I kept hearing the name Pinocet as he screamed at me.

[appalachiablue]

2. Chile's transformation under the Chicago School I've read about

and see that it can take place in the US unless major changes are implemented. Americans don't think this kind of destruction can happen here but it can, some of which has already occurred incrementally under neoliberal policy, esp. the loss of our no. 1 middle class, now 5th or below for several years.

What you saw there must have been an unforgettable experience, esp. the very upset man described. Many years ago in Jan. 1973 we stopped in Santiago, Chile very briefly flying from Rio to the states. The airline cautioned passengers about disembarking from the plane, only if we had to and they didn't say why. But I took one look at the soldiers around wearing Mussolini type helmets and holding rifles and instintively thought that I better not leave the plane to go in the airport. I'll never forget it, it was that scary. Years later I learned about the overthrow of Allende's govt. and the violence and extreme changes enacted under Pinochet's regime.

This interesting article from 2016 focuses on Roberto Kozak, the 'Latin America Oscar Schinder' who assisted victims of right wing government persecution in Chile and SA.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/14/roberto-kozak-chile-latin-america-schindler

[Javaman]

4. friedman was a piece of shit

if there is a hell, there is a very special place for him there.

[a la izquierda]

3. I'll be working on a project helping Human Rights orgs have input...

into the new constitution. I'll be working with a team at the University of Essex (UK). I'm really excited about this news.

[intheflow]

5. That's fantastic!

What an amazing opportunity to help heal the world.

[Aristus]

6. Oh shit.

Looks like we're going to be sending death squads to Chile.

It seems like for decades now, American policy regarding Chile is that 'anything not Pinochet is Communism'.

I hope it takes more than a week for Donny to notice. He's not going to start a war once he's a lame duck.