Chilean opposition slams 'insufficient' emergency bill

By Santiago Serna Duque

BOGOTA (AA) - Representatives of the Chilean opposition said an Emergency Family Income bill is “completely insufficient” in providing a monthly bonus to at least 1.8 million low-income families to help with the coronavirus pandemic.

“The project presented by the government is not even half of what Chilean families need. Not even the extreme poverty line is reached,” Pablo Vidal of the Democratic Revolution party told the media Tuesday.

“We are going to defend a true Basic Emergency Income that will give Chilean families peace of mind, and if this is not the case, we will not support it.

“If the government wants to dialogue, it will have to do so now, in a transparent and open way to the country, but as this project has been announced, it is just one more bonus,” he said,

The bill sent Tuesday to Congress aims to reach at least 60% of the poorest families and will have cost Chile $300 million per month.

President Sebastian Pinera said the initiative will last three months. The amount each household will receive depends on its size and economic situation.

“A family in the lowest-income group may receive a contribution equivalent to about USD 300 per month,” said Pinera who indicated he hopes “the processing of this bill will be expeditious so that it can begin to benefit families most vulnerable Chileans as of May.”

Vidal responded by saying: “Do not come to accuse later the opposition of obstructionists if we tell them that this project is insufficient and we will not support it in the terms in which they have presented it, because we did everything possible to sit down at the table to be able to raise our points.”

Chile has recorded 10,832 positive cases and 147 deaths from the coronavirus.

In Latin America, the number killed by COVID-19 is led by Brazil, with 2,769 deaths. Mexico follows with 857; Ecuador has 520 and Peru 484.

*Daniela Mendoza contributed to this note