Jeannette Jara (Santiago, 51 years old), member of the Communist Party and sole candidate of the parties in power that support the administration of President Gabriel Boric, was the winner of the first round of the presidential elections. The presidential candidate seeks to prolong the left’s stay in the La Moneda building, something that has not happened since 2005 with the election of socialist Michelle Bachelet as successor to socialist Ricardo Lagos.
The lawyer established herself as a presidential candidate thanks to the boost given to her by her management as Minister of Labor in the current government, a position she abandoned to face the presidential race. Under his tenure, Jara made progress in negotiations that allowed the entry into force of laws reducing the 40-hour working week and pension reform. Despite these results, the representative of the ruling party faces a complex landscape, as the latest polls published before the ban show that in the second round she would have been defeated by any of the main right-wing candidates.
The former minister, like the rest of the presidential standard-bearers, focused his speech on the issues of economy, migration and security. In other areas, such as the decriminalization of abortion – which has been a flag of Chilean progressivism – Jara has had to balance his position with that of some parties that support his candidacy, such as the Christian Democrats. In this regard, the candidate declared that she will support the project of termination of pregnancy without cause presented by the Council. Another complex issue for the candidate was foreign relations, as she criticized the governments of Cuba and Venezuela, which was questioned by her own party.
Economy
Jara focused his proposals on maintaining some benefits obtained during the Boric Government and on their expansion. One of the main measures was the imposition of a living income for workers of 750,000 pesos ($795). Added to these actions is the restriction of costs in development units (UF) for health, education and housing rental. It also intends to impose a vital electricity consumption (CEV) system to reduce electricity bills. On trade union matters, the candidate said she would try to establish multi-level negotiations or sectoral negotiations. As regards pensions, the standard-bearer of the left has promised to maintain the scope of the reform that came to light during his mandate. The PC Militant also announced the implementation of a mutual, aimed at young people up to 40 years of age so that they can opt for a first home with a dividend at an affordable price.
Safety
The representative of the left made a difference with the proposals of the opposition candidates, who focused their speech on strengthening police work and accountability of justice. Jara has joined the government’s initiative which aims to promote the abolition of banking secrecy, to follow the path of illicit money. Other initiatives include gun control to reduce the firepower of criminal gangs; the implementation of a biometric register; use of technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence; and strengthening municipal and private security.
Migration
The candidate’s platform does not mention mass deportations. The proposal instead aims to strengthen the national migration system with measures to manage migration for work reasons and intercultural coexistence programmes. Jara proposes a temporary national biometric registration to identify foreigners, this registration process will be limited to a maximum of 6 months and those who do not submit will be expelled from the country. As regards border control, the candidate proposes a strategic border control plan and a strengthening of security measures with Carabineros personnel and the support of the Armed Forces.
