President José Antonio Kast called for a "forward-looking approach" ahead of the seventh anniversary of the social unrest. He spoke as he left La Moneda Palace on his way to an event with Security Minister Martín Arrau.
According to BioBioChile, reporters asked him whether the government would organize an event to mark October 18. Kast replied that "what we are doing is rebuilding our country".
"October 18 was a difficult moment, with a great deal of violence, and we hope that never happens again," the President added. He then urged people to "look to the future" and highlighted a presentation by Choose Chile, the initiative to attract foreign investment to the country.
His response came amid criticism from his own political camp. According to Emol, Libertarian Party leaders questioned the executive branch's decision to hold no official commemoration of the date.
Libertarian Senator Vanessa Kaiser called it "unbelievable that the government is not holding any event for this coming October 18." The senator described the unrest as an "Octoberist coup d'état." She also argued that, as this would be the first anniversary under the current administration, "the signals should be absolutely clear."
The libertarians are also pressing for another measure. According to BioBioChile, they are asking the government to announce pardons for former military and police personnel prosecuted or convicted over events during the protests. Asked about that possibility, Kast avoided answering.
The social unrest began on October 18, 2019, during Sebastián Piñera's second administration. It started with mass fare evasion on the Santiago Metro over a fare increase and developed into protests across the country. There were episodes of violence, allegations of human rights violations and legal proceedings against civilians and state agents.
That crisis also set the constitutional process in motion. The two proposed texts, in 2022 and 2023, were rejected in referendums.
For the government, the challenge is to keep its political camp united without reopening a debate that divides the country. For the libertarians, the date is an opportunity to establish a distinct political identity. The question of pardons will remain open: the anniversary falls this Saturday, October 18, and the executive branch has yet to confirm any measures.
