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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 19 december 2017

Conservative Pinera wins another turn as Chile’s president

election swings Chile back Chileans has been heard,” in 2012.
to the right and highlights Pinera told supporters Sun- “Pinera managed to gath-
the increasing number of day night. “We welcome er a big majority of the
conservative leaders who this triumph with humility votes from center-left can-
have won power in Latin and hope.” didates” who were in the
America. The results prompted cel- opening round, said Javier
With nearly all ballots count- ebrations by Pinera’s sup- Sajuria, a lecturer in politics
ed, the billionaire won 54.6 porters across the country at Queen Mary University of
percent of the votes Sun- of 17 million people. Some London.
day to 45.4 percent for for- people waved flags and “What happened here is
mer journalist and center- held banners, while oth- that Pinera managed to
left Sen. Alejandro Guillier. ers beeped car horns and mobilize non-voters in a
Analysts had predicted a yelled out the last name of way that we haven’t seen
much closer contest, feel- the former airline magnate since voluntary voting was
ing Guillier had gained who also was president in started.”
ground, although there 2010-2014. Guillier, 64, had received
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, left, talks with president- had not been any opinion Pinera, 68, won last month’s the support of current Presi-
elect Sebastian Pinera, a former president, as Pinera’s wife polls since the election’s first round, but fell far short dent Michelle Bachelet,
Cecilia Morel stands by in Santiago, Chile, Monday, Dec. 18,
2017. Pinera’s resounding victory in a presidential runoff election first round in November. of what polls had project- and had vowed to con-
swings Chile back to the right and highlights the increasing Pinera, who ran on a plat- ed. tinue her plan to increase
number of conservative leaders who have won power in Latin form of boosting sluggish Turnout had been expect- corporate taxes to partly
America. economic growth in the ed to be low for the run- finance an education
(AP Photo/Esteban Felix) world’s top copper pro- off because in contrast to overhaul, reform the con-
By EVA VERGARA Former President Sebastian ducer, thanked his oppo- other regional countries, stitution and improve the
Associated Press Pinera’s resounding vic- nents and called for unity. Chile made voting volun- pension and health care
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — tory in a presidential runoff “Today the voice of all tary rather than mandatory system.q

Clashes as Argentina Congress

debates pension reform plans

By A. CALATRAVA pushed by the government
Associated Press of President Mauricio Macri
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina to reduce Argentina’s high
(AP) — Clashes between deficit. Union leaders and
police and demonstrators social activists complain
erupted Monday outside the legislation would cut
Argentina’s Congress as pension and retirement
lawmakers were getting payments as well as aid
ready to debate a con- for some poor families. Ar-
troversial pension reform gentina’s largest union
measure. The protesters began a 24-hour general
threw bottles, rocks and at strike at noon Monday to
least one Molotov cocktail. protest the bill. Hundreds
Police in riot gear respond- of flights were grounded
ed with tear gas, rubber in the Argentine capital
bullets and sprays of wa- due to the stoppage. A
ter. “We have no one to debate on the measure
defend us,” said 70-year- was suspended on Dec. 14
old Cristina Sanmero, who due to similar violent clash-
found herself caught in es. The government later
the clashes. “At my age, amended the proposal to
I have to come here and include a bonus payment
defend my contributions of for some retirees. But critics
30 years. We’re governed say it’s not enough. “The
by inept people who think bonus payment is a joke,”
that it’s easier to take away said Juan Carlos Schmid,
from the old.” The mea- a leader of the CGT union.
sure, which already passed The measure “is illegitimate
the Senate, is part of a se- and will cause a waterfall
ries of economic changes of lawsuits against it.”q