According to La Tercera, Frente Amplio (FA) will pay $103 million to the Electoral Service (Servel) today or tomorrow. The party raised the money after asking its leading officials to pay their monthly dues in advance.
With that payment, the party hopes to secure approval of its 2024 financial statement. This would allow it to access public funding currently being withheld.
The total debt to Servel exceeded $170 million. Following the change in internal leadership, the party reported that 103 million remained outstanding, which it would pay this week.
According to the newspaper, the problem stems from the accounting disarray left by the merger of Convergencia Social and Revolución Democrática, the parties that formed FA. Servel rejected its latest financial statements.
The cost was tangible. The party delayed paying its leadership team's salaries for five months.
To resolve the crisis, the leadership team headed by Deputy Gael Yeomans turned to the party's highest earners. The list included former President Gabriel Boric, former ministers, senators, deputies, mayors, regional councilors and municipal councilors.
Each was asked to set their contribution at their own discretion. Within FA, the effort was colloquially dubbed the "Frenteampliatón."
La Tercera asked Boric's office and some lawmakers about the amounts. They declined to provide details. However, party sources say they reached the target.
The leadership team had to make repeated appeals to party members. Last Thursday, it addressed the central committee meeting to remind members of the fundraising effort. According to attendees, more than one and a half million pesos was collected at that meeting.
Pressure also came through the internal factions within the party. These include Yeomans's "Con fuerza y esperanza" and "Desbordar lo Posible," which brings together figures such as Boric and Gonzalo Winter. Several held meetings to request contributions.
Yeomans led the effort, but a team of three people handled the details. It was headed by the new treasurer, Camila Romero, a party leader from Coquimbo who came from Revolución Democrática, replaced Yerko Cortés and took over the negotiations with Servel.
Romero joined the leadership team after campaigning for Martínez's faction, which was defeated by Yeomans's. She was joined by Leonardo Jofré, national secretary for action and territorial outreach and a former Metropolitan regional councilor, and Sebastián Figueroa. Both ran for deputy last year.
The next step is the payment to Servel, scheduled for this week. If it goes through, FA could recover the public funds it needs to put its finances in order.
