Former Minister Camila Vallejo responded this Wednesday to former President Michelle Bachelet, who opened the door to a third presidential bid. Vallejo praised her standing. However, she urged the opposition to discuss a shared platform and set aside names.
Vallejo headed the General Secretariat of Government (Segegob) and served as spokesperson for Gabriel Boric's government. She made her remarks on 24 Horas, according to CNN Chile. La Tercera reported that she spoke from Mexico City, where she is participating in the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS) as director of Ruta Continental.
Within the opposition, there has been criticism of the lack of leadership on the left. In that context, Vallejo was asked whether Bachelet is a "wild card," since she would be the only figure capable of rallying support from the Christian Democratic Party (DC) to the Communist Party (PC). She replied: "Michelle Bachelet is no wild card." She described her as a figure of unity and experience who contributes to the progressive movement, regardless of a possible candidacy.
According to La Tercera, the former minister said there are still more than three years until the next presidential election. For that reason, she said, the focus should be on problems such as unemployment and on building an alternative that improves people's living conditions.
In her list of leaders, Vallejo included Bachelet, former President Boric, mayors, lawmakers, and party, union, neighborhood, youth and student leaders. "The important thing is not to center this conversation on people, on particular individuals, but on the conversation we all need to have together," she said.
The former spokesperson also addressed remarks by former Minister Carolina Tohá. Tohá proposed improving mechanisms that allow terminally ill convicts, including prisoners convicted of human rights violations, to spend their final days with their families. Her proposal followed the death in prison of Juan Aliste Vega, a former member of the Lautaro Movement, who died of cancer.
Vallejo said she was unfamiliar with that discussion. Even so, she insisted on maintaining reparations, guarantees of non-repetition and justice for victims of crimes against humanity, and urged the current government not to cut back those policies.
Asked about a candidacy of her own, Vallejo ruled it out for now: "Clearly, I am not in that position." She added that the issue "is not the priority at this time".
