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🇨🇱 Chile /Elections & Politics

PDG Parliamentarians Attack Desbordes Over 'Protected Schools' Law Controversy

From Cooperativa · (22m ago) Spanish Critical tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Chilean deputies from the Partido de la Gente (PDG) criticized Santiago Mayor Mario Desbordes for calling them 'accomplices of violence.'
  • The deputies stated their rejection of the 'Escuelas Protegidas' (Protected Schools) bill was due to its deficiencies and lack of a clear security roadmap.
  • They argued that approving a flawed law for political headlines is irresponsible and that their role is to ensure laws are effective.

Cooperativa.cl reports on a heated exchange between Chilean deputies from the Partido de la Gente (PDG) and Santiago Mayor Mario Desbordes regarding the 'Escuelas Protegidas' (Protected Schools) bill. The PDG deputies, including Tamara Ramírez, Flor Contreras, Fabián Ossandón, and Patricio Briones, strongly refuted Desbordes' accusation that they were 'accomplices of violence' for rejecting the bill in its initial constitutional stage.

Our refusal is not a whim, it is a demand for real security. The Government's text is deficient, it does not guarantee the integrity of educational communities and shows that there is no clear roadmap in security. If the Executive insists on ignoring our indications and not responding to technical doubts, it cannot expect us to approve projects that only serve for a press headline.

— Tamara RamírezPDG deputy explaining the party's rejection of the 'Escuelas Protegidas' bill due to its perceived flaws.

From the perspective of the PDG deputies, their refusal to pass the bill was not arbitrary but a principled stand based on the legislation's perceived shortcomings. Deputy Ramírez articulated this by stating, 'Our refusal is not a whim, it is a demand for real security. The Government's text is deficient, it does not guarantee the integrity of educational communities and shows that there is no clear roadmap in security.' This highlights a deep skepticism towards the government's approach to security and a demand for substantive, effective legislation rather than mere political posturing.

It is an irresponsibility that Mayor Desbordes treats us as accomplices for voting according to our conscience (...) We are not accomplices of violence, we are the ones demanding that laws actually serve a purpose.

— Flor ContrerasPDG deputy responding to accusations of complicity in violence.

Deputy Contreras further emphasized this point, calling Desbordes' accusation 'irresponsible' and asserting, 'We are not accomplices of violence, we are the ones demanding that laws actually serve a purpose.' Deputy Ossandón added that 'questioning a bad law is not being an accomplice, it is doing the job well. Nobody here justifies violence.' This defense underscores a commitment to legislative diligence and a belief that their duty is to scrutinish and improve, not blindly approve. Deputy Briones concluded by stating, 'it is regrettable that we are branded as accomplices of violence. As a deputy, my commitment is that laws work and this Protected Schools project leaves more doubts than certainties.' This exchange reveals a significant political divide in Chile concerning public safety and the legislative process, with the PDG deputies positioning themselves as pragmatic guardians of effective policy over political expediency.

Questioning a bad law is not being an accomplice, it is doing the job well. Nobody here justifies violence (...) Chile does not need political signals or phrases for the gallery.

— Fabián OssandónPDG deputy defending the party's critical stance on the proposed legislation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Cooperativa in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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