SANTIAGO, Nov 28 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) – Chile’s President, Sebastian Pinera, will skip an important global climate change conference, which his country was supposed to host, amid ongoing unrest at home, a top official said Wednesday.
Pinera had earlier cancelled hosting the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP25) as anti-government protests roiled major cities. Spain then offered to hold the event in Madrid, from Dec 2 to 13.
“President Pinera will not attend the conference. He told us there’s urgent work to do in Chile, which is why he will be staying,” said his Minister of Environment, Carolina Schmidt.
As Chile’s envoy, Schmidt said, she will chair the conference.
At the end of Oct, Pinera announced, his government would not be able to host the COP25, due to the social upheaval, but ratified his “total and absolute commitment” to the conference.
Chileans have taken to the streets to demand better living conditions and improvements in essential services, such as healthcare, housing and education.
Protests have occasionally turned violent, leading to clashes with security forces.– NNN-PRENSA LATINA
