The most important Chilean news of the day, in summary.
Chile spent Sunday preparing for a new frontal system, with authorities weighing evacuations in Las Condes, a weather alert covering five regions and a red alert for landslides in Santiago communes. In politics, Mayor Sebastián Sichel criticized Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz, the budget director discussed the size of the state, and a Cadem poll measured views on presidential pardons. Marches marked the anniversary of the social unrest, and Chilean players featured in football.
Ñuñoa mayor Sebastián Sichel said the Government is "apanicado por el gasto fiscal" (panicked over public spending) and urged Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz to "reinventarse". He said that if Quiroz does not, "se debe buscar otro ministro". Sichel spoke to La Tercera and focused on how the Executive explains its decisions.
Jeremy Adelman, professor emeritus at Princeton and director of the Global History Lab at Cambridge, said Chile must keep its autonomy to negotiate after signing the Shield of the Americas. He spoke on CNN Chile's program Influyentes, during a visit invited by the Universidad Diego Portales (UDP), and discussed tensions between the United States and China.
Santiago Metropolitan Region presidential delegate Germán Codina called for a preventive evacuation of about 70 homes in Las Condes affected by the earlier aluvión (mudslide). The measure targets Tuesday afternoon, when the new frontal system is expected to be most intense. Codina said it would be needed "puntualmente" in those homes.
The Dirección Meteorológica de Chile (DMC), the national weather service, updated its alert for moderate to heavy rain in Coquimbo, Valparaíso, Metropolitana, O'Higgins and Maule. It applies from afternoon to night on Tuesday, October 20. Rain is forecast from Monday, October 19, and could last until Wednesday, October 21, with the highest amounts in O'Higgins.
José Pablo Gómez, director of the Dirección de Presupuestos (Dipres), the budget office of the Finance Ministry, told Emol that "no es el objetivo de esta gestión reducir el tamaño del Estado". He spoke as Congress processes the Government's first Budget Law. He said the US$6,000 million adjustment was promised over 18 months, and seven have passed.
The Plaza Pública Cadem poll, edition 698, found that 60% of Chileans think the president's power to pardon should be eliminated. Another 33% want to keep it and 8% did not answer. The survey also found 55% oppose pardoning former uniformed personnel convicted over events during the social unrest.
Deputy Diego Schalper sent a formal request to the Superintendencia de Pensiones and the Comisión para el Mercado Financiero (CMF), the financial markets regulator. He seeks information on negative returns in fund E of the AFPs, the pension fund managers. Fund E is the most conservative of the five multifunds and invests mainly in fixed income.
Susana Claro, an academic at the Universidad Católica (UC) and cofounder of the network Por un Chile que Lee, said half of second graders do not reach reading frequent words. She told CNN Chile's Influyentes that in fourth grade over half of students do not understand texts suited to their level. An analysis of over 3,500 schools found only 20 where more than 70% read well for three straight years.
Real Madrid beat Sevilla 4-1 on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabéu in LaLiga. Chilean Gabriel Suazo started and wore the captain's armband for Sevilla, which had been unbeaten away from home. Sevilla's last win at the Bernabéu was on December 7, 2008.
At least 29 people were arrested on Sunday, October 18, during the march for the seventh anniversary of the social unrest in Santiago, according to CNN Chile. Carabineros general Manuel Cifuentes Quezada gave a preliminary count and said between 2,500 and 2,800 people took part. The report says several officers were injured, and no other outlet has independently confirmed it.
Lo Barnechea mayor Felipe Alessandri highlighted preventive work ahead of the new frontal system. The commune is among ten in the Santiago Metropolitan Region under a red alert for landslide risk, declared Sunday by the Servicio Nacional de Prevención y Respuesta ante Desastres (Senapred). He asked residents to stay away from rivers and ravines.
Unión San Felipe drew 2-2 with Deportes Temuco and Deportes Santa Cruz drew 0-0 with Deportes Antofagasta in round 28 of the Liga de Ascenso, Chile's second tier. With two rounds left, San Felipe and Santa Cruz have 23 points, and last-placed Rangers are two behind.
