SANTIAGO, Dec 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Chilean voters on Sunday rejected a proposed constitution written by conservatives to replace the country’s current Pinochet-era set of laws, created when Gen. Augusto Pinochet, a dictator, ran the country.
As of late Sunday, 96% of the votes had been counted, with 55.8% opposed to the new charter and about 44.2% in favor.
The results come over a year after citizens of the country rejected a proposed constitution written by left-leaning lawmakers, which was characterized as one of the world’s most progressive charters.
But even the new charter, which was drafted largely by conservatives, was criticized for being more conservative than the one it was looking to replace – it aimed to deepen free-market principles, may have limited some rights of women, and reduced state intervention.
“From a perspective of coherence and respect for democracy, we recognize the results, Javier Macaya, the leader of the conservative Independent Democratic Union party said as he recognized the charter’s defeat.
The defeat means the Pinochet-era constitution will remain in effect. The constitution has been amended several times over the years.
The proposed constitution contained articles that some found controversial.
For example, the drafted proposal said, “the law protects the life of the unborn,” which some feared would have made abortion fully illegal in Chile.
The country currently allows abortions for reasons of rape, if the mother’s life is at risk and if the fetus is unviable.
Another article under the proposed constitution would allow prisoners who suffer terminal illness and who are not considered to be a danger to society, to be granted house arrest.
But some of the left-wing opposition argued the measure may benefit people who were convicted of crimes against humanity during the Pinochet-era, when the dictator ruled between 1973 and 1990.
Lawmakers began writing a new constitution after protests in 2019, when thousands complained about the inequality in one of South America’s strongest countries, which was also politically stable. — NNN-AGENCIES
