Chile's Sports Minister resigns after allegations of misusing official vehicle

Chilean Minister of Sports Natalia Duco has resigned, with President José Antonio Kast accepting her departure after controversy erupted over the alleged misuse of an official vehicle. This marks the third high-ranking female official to leave Kast's government since it took office in March.

The resignation, submitted alongside that of Vice Minister of Sports Andrés Otero, concludes a nearly five-month tenure marked by several controversies for Duco. The decision came after local media published reports detailing Duco's use of a government car on April 23rd. While Duco had initially justified the trip to the presidential palace, La Moneda, as part of a work meeting at a private residence, a video later surfaced showing the event also involved karaoke and a barbecue.

Questions surrounding Duco's suitability for the role began shortly after she took office. She faced scrutiny over a past doping violation during her athletic career as a shot putter. Additionally, she drew criticism for her public support of Kast's validation of rodeo as a national sport, an activity frequently criticized for animal welfare concerns. Duco also had to address controversy over her initial refusal to authorize a concert by the South Korean K-pop group BTS at the National Stadium, a decision that led to protests by hundreds of fans before being overturned by the National Institute of Sports.

“

The Directorate of Press of the Presidency communicates that, as of today, the President of the Republic, José Antonio Kast, has accepted the resignation of Natalia Duco and Andrés Otero from the positions of Minister and Vice Minister of Sports, respectively.