Former government spokesperson Minister Camila Vallejo, a member of the Communist Party (PC), criticized President José Antonio Kast's administration. In an interview with The Clinic, she described it as a far-right government and said "Pinochetism has come to power".
As reported by BioBioChile, Vallejo argued that this political sector does not represent a majority of Chilean society. "Pinochetism does not have majority support in our country, even if they sometimes shout a lot, have a greater presence on social media and say the outrageous things they say," she said.
The former minister added that denial of the crimes committed during the dictatorship remains a minority position in public debate.
Vallejo attributed the ruling coalition's electoral victory to "circumstantial electoral factors." She also distinguished between parliamentary backing and public support. "The balance of power in Parliament favors them, but they are not governing with the support of a majority of society," she said.
In her view, every decision by the administration reveals "its classism, its ideological outlook." She gave two examples: the tax reform, which she said "favored the richest," and the proposed Budget Law.
The interview also included self-criticism of the left. Vallejo acknowledged that the right has been more effective in establishing its explanations of security and economic issues. "Unfortunately, we have also adopted the interpretive frameworks for the problems we face (...) from the far right or the right without challenging them," she said.
She also accused the traditional right of avoiding distancing itself from those sectors for electoral reasons. She attributed the far right's advantage to sustained investment in public debate, particularly online. "The far right has waged that contest and that battle in the digital streets earlier and more effectively than the left and progressive forces," she said.
The sources consulted do not include a response from the government or the ruling parties to the former spokesperson's remarks.
Regarding her current situation, Vallejo denied having stepped away from politics after leaving La Moneda: "I am out of the front line, but never out of politics."
