MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Bachelet denies any idea of stepping down, because of her family's corruption scandal
“No way, I've never thought of resigning or stepping down” said emphatically Chilean president Michelle Bachelet on Wednesday, following a barrage of media rumors which echoed in the social networks during Holy Week, which in South America in a long weekend holiday. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesThe scandal really is a minor factor in her unpopularity, but the current economy decline is. Compared to Latin American model economies, we still are at the top, but our projected growth rate has fallen. Unemployment is up and new investment is down.
Apr 08th, 2015 - 05:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0With current copper prices she can't keep all her promises.
Keep cleaning the house, Chile, keep cleaning the house. Cockroaches always return, vigilence is needed.
Apr 08th, 2015 - 05:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It is the only way forward. Progress is always difficult, and a long road, but the prize is worth it!
#2 ilsen
Apr 08th, 2015 - 05:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I certainly didn't vote for her, but I don't think she's corrupt either .
It's good she's been taken a notch down though.
We've had our little scandal to the right as well.
Sunlight is the best disinfectant, so they say. Long may Chile reign as the 'most transparent' nation in SA
Apr 08th, 2015 - 06:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0#4 ilsen
Apr 08th, 2015 - 06:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0¡Salud!
Its nice to see the end is in sight for the Liberal Agenda that sprouted up over the last decade.
Apr 08th, 2015 - 07:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0All these old commie hold outs will be gone for awhile while the conservatives bring the world back into the right.
I think it is harsh to think of Bachelet as a communist, even if her family were once that far left. The biggest criticism I hear of her last term is that she took the country so close to the middle that she pushed it over and handed it to the right. She does not want to be remembered for doing that a second time so has pitched more to the left with her social reforms. She should have stayed at the UN. I understand she was reluctant but talked into coming back based on her personal popularity.
Apr 08th, 2015 - 07:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Her son has ruined her second term from day one. What is it about the children of presidents and their sense of entitlement?
#7 Elaine
Apr 08th, 2015 - 08:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Well I totally agree that she was never a communist. Even when she lived in East Germany, she wasn't. When she returned to Chile, she gradually evolved from a Marxist Socialist to a more left leaning Socialist. When Socialist President Lagos appointed her as defense secretary, we were disturbed with what she might do and yet she did an admirable job. She became a “godmother” of one of our new submarines and at the commissioning ceremony, she charmed everyone there including myself. (She's always since maintained a strong interest of the sub and the enthusiasm is sincere.)
I'm politically to the right and support the RN party, but she did well in her first presidential term, because she kept a moderate Socialist path the 4 years.
What I disagree with however is that she ever considered staying at the UN. Her position there was simply to continuing grooming her international image and readying her for the next presidential term. (As you know, presidents here are limited to one term, but can run again after skipping one, which she did.)
What happened with her son is not a mortal wound, but has tainted her image of honesty. Her problem now is that she made way too many promises that the country cannot afford and has really harmed the economy by substantially raising taxes which has halted new business investment. This, while copper prices have tanked...
I would be surprised if she was ever to be caught in some illegal activity to enrich herself, but the stupidity of her son was almost predictable. And in fairness, nothing illegal, it was the impropriety that made it a scandal.
@8 I don't think she intended to stay at the UN, I said she should have.
Apr 08th, 2015 - 08:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I have no doubt the people around her wanted her to return for another term but was it her fervent wish? You can believe me or not that she took more than a little persuading.
That people are worried about the economy slowing and her spending promises I have heard many time on this trip. Also when I was here in October/November.
#8 Elaine
Apr 08th, 2015 - 09:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0She did very well sat the UN and I think she'd do very well in another important international position. She's intelligent, understands social, health and political issues well, a fluency of English, German, French and is not corrupt. She'll again go abroad after her term. But your opinion is correct, we are very concerned here about the downturn in the economy. Santiago is still booming with lots of beautiful buildings being constructed, but those looking after the next 12 months see a strong downturn. Our national growth may fall below 2%.
@8
Apr 08th, 2015 - 09:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Very well said Chicureo.
Thank you Condorito, but then again all my friends think we're going into an economic disaster.
Apr 08th, 2015 - 10:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I wasn't talking so much about Bachelet but the World trend now leaning conservative after a frightful, harmful decade of liberals running amok throwing away money and false promises. You can see it all over Europe, USA, Chile, most of SA, the list goes on and on and I couldn't be happier.
Apr 09th, 2015 - 01:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0Maybe we can find another Reagan and Thatcher to right the world again.
:)
Chicureo (and others)
Apr 09th, 2015 - 12:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0On a lighter note, here is something that may make you smile... I hope,
http://panampost.com/laurie-blair/2015/04/08/gringolandia-latino-migrant-experience-served-up-with-laughs/
@3. She certainly SHOULD be thinking about stepping down, at the very least. You, presumably, know the woman better than we do, but to say 'No way, I've never thought of resigning or stepping down' gives a very strong impression that she doesn't think that society's rules apply to her. Why would that be? Because she's 'the president'? Because she's 'special'? Because she has plans for the country?
Apr 09th, 2015 - 12:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0'In the so called Caval case, her daughter in law, Natalia Compagnon, married to Bachelet's son Sebastián Dávalos, has been in the spotlight over influence peddling and access to privileged information'. Who's influence was she peddling? What access to privileged information?
Pillow talk after Sebastián had visited Mommy?
#14 ilsen
Apr 09th, 2015 - 01:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Thanks, I've never seem it... Pisco IS the secret to a good fiesta.
Copper fell 2 years ago on a scary day. Matthei finally started telling the truth after her career...and bachelet. Her ability to lie was on full display when she made her state visit to Buenos Aires and lied about the future of that nation too. Brazil is in a 1994 crisis, in Chile it's time to read about 1982 while this inept corrupt regime pretends to have the peso and economy under control...while argentina teeters on anarchy and it's realized how bad the chinese have lost in Venezuela, Nicaragua, Argentina, Brazil etc.
Apr 10th, 2015 - 12:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It's difficult to make promises to a country whose economy is still commodity-based. When the country's economy is what, 55% or something like that, based on copper, you're at the mercy of the world market, or more specifically how much copper is China buying, which has a large affect on copper prices. If prices start to head south, you're screwed. So, her popularity is being affected by a lot of things, not just her son and daughter-in-law being boneheads.
Apr 10th, 2015 - 02:48 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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