Chilean Senate President defends political agreements, rejects 'cowardly' label for negotiators

Senate President Paulina Núñez has defended the government's pursuit of consensus in processing its "megareform," pushing back against criticism from Republican deputy Stephanie Jéldrez, who labeled negotiating sectors as "cowardly right-wingers."

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I prefer to err on the side of naivety to achieve results like those we had on Thursday (with PPD parliamentarians), which were an injection of energy for those who still believe that in Parliament, one debates.

Núñez emphasized in an interview with El País that securing majorities in Congress is indispensable for governance. She distanced herself from stances that stigmatize moderation in legislative discussions, stating, "I believe in freedom of expression and that everyone should express themselves as they see fit, but I prefer to err on the side of naivety to achieve results like those we had on Thursday (with PPD parliamentarians), which were an injection of energy for those who still believe that in Parliament, one debates."

The Senate leader asserted that dialogue is a fundamental tool against extreme positions. "This is nothing more and nothing less than what I decided when I dedicated my life to politics: to foster agreements, that dialogue always wins over imposition, and that my truth should not be the only one, but the opposite," she explained.

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This is nothing more and nothing less than what I decided when I dedicated my life to politics: to foster agreements, that dialogue always wins over imposition, and that my truth should not be the only one, but the opposite.

Núñez views the ability to incorporate diverse viewpoints not as a weakness but as a commitment to the nation's superior welfare. "When one achieves agreements, it's not that one concedes, but that one gathers the best from each person thinking of a greater good. When one is in politics, one thinks of the country," she said. Responding to the "cowardly right-wingers" label, which she noted has spread beyond Spain, Núñez declared, "There is nothing more courageous than achieving agreements."

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When one achieves agreements, it's not that one concedes, but that one gathers the best from each person thinking of a greater good. When one is in politics, one thinks of the country.

She argued that remaining entrenched in one's ideas or waiting for others to make decisions is easier. "It is difficult to build majorities when one does not move beyond the self," Núñez stated. She dismissed the impact of such labels on her or her party's stance, adding, "Someone somewhere said it's quite pejorative. But in Chile, we say: 'If the shoe fits, wear it.' And we are anything but that. In my political career, I have had to be in several agreements. And the fact that I preside over the Senate is the fruit of a governance agreement."

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There is nothing more courageous than achieving agreements.