Chile dismisses Finance Undersecretary after positive drug test; he denies allegations

Chilean President José Antonio Kast has dismissed Juan Pablo Rodríguez, the undersecretary of Finance, following a positive drug test. Rodríguez, however, vehemently denies the allegations, asserting his innocence and vowing to clear his name.

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I do not use drugs and I am fully convinced that this second result is an error.

"I do not use drugs and I am fully convinced that this second result is an error," Rodríguez stated in a communique early Friday. The 36-year-old economist had a negative drug test in April but a second test in June yielded a positive result, which he claims "does not reflect" his reality. He has pledged to undergo new tests to dispel any doubts and demonstrate transparency, adhering to government standards for public officials.

In Chile, hair sample drug tests are mandatory for certain government officials, including ministers and undersecretaries. While the law does not require the president to take such tests, Kast voluntarily underwent one shortly after taking office in March. Rodríguez is not the first official in Kast's administration to depart due to drug test results; Jorge Heiden Campbell, the former regional ministerial secretary of Agriculture for Arica y Parinacota, resigned in June after a positive test.

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I will undergo new tests to clear any doubt and demonstrate, with total transparency, that I fully comply with the standards that the Government has established for state authorities in this matter.

Rodríguez, who is independent but closely aligned with Kast's Republican Party, will be succeeded by Tomás Bunster Bustamante, the current coordinator of Economic Regulation and head of advisors. Rodríguez was a key figure in the government's major tax and economic reform, which is nearing parliamentary approval. Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz acknowledged the need to await new test results, expressing gratitude for Rodríguez's contributions. "He has been a tremendous asset to the Ministry, a tremendous professional. Many things we have accomplished would not have been possible without his collaboration," Quiroz told reporters.

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He has been a tremendous asset to the Ministry, a tremendous professional. Many things we have accomplished would not have been possible without his collaboration.