SANTIAGO - Chileans began the long process of writing a new constitution on Monday following a landslide vote in favor of the project by citizens who want the unabashedly capitalist country’s principles to enshrine greater equality in healthcare, pensions and education.
Four-fifths of voters said they wanted the new charter to be drafted by a specially elected body of citizens - made up of half women and half men - over a mixed convention of lawmakers and citizens, highlighting general mistrust in Chile’s political class.The 155-seat convention of citizens will be elected in April and have up to a year to agree to a draft text, with proposals approved by a two-thirds majority.
Among issues likely to be at the fore of debate are recognition of Chile’s Mapuche indigenous population, powers of collective bargaining, water and land rights and privatized systems providing healthcare, education and pensions. “There is broad public support for preserving the fundamental aspects of Chile’s economic model such as free markets, private property rights and independence from the Central Bank,” Moody´s said in a statement.STREET CELEBRATIONSPeople poured into the streets and plazas of cities throughout Chile in celebration. Scattered incidents of violence and looting in Santiago and elsewhere marred the festivities but did not dominate them.
On the way to becoming a Chilezuela
Bye bye Chile... hello Venezuela.. When will people learn...
The end’s beginning.
Path to self destruction
I think they need to go hard LEFT this next time.
And the world gets one more socialist country!