05/04/2022
Sunday marked a historic day in Chilean history. And that is no mere empty phrase. The word “historic” can rarely be applied with better justification than here: Almost 80% of the electorate voted in favor of rewriting the constitution, a document dating back to the dark days of the Pinochet dictatorship, which ended some 30 years ago.
During the mass demonstrations in Chile a year ago, one of the main calls was for a new constitution that put far more emphasis on social policies. President Sebastian Pinera eventually gave in and agreed to hold a referendum on constitutional reform. Now, Chileans have sent an important signal to other Latin American countries: namely, that widespread discontent about extreme inequality can lead to a peaceful, democratic process of change.