Minister of Women and Gender Equity Judith Marín responded in writing to Deputy Javier Olivares of the Party of the People (PDG). In a letter sent to El Mercurio, she argued that the lawmaker’s comments about Michelle Bachelet and Evelyn Matthei prove that her ministry must continue to exist.
According to CNN Chile, which reported on the letter based on Radio Biobío’s coverage, Marín stated that political differences are legitimate. However, she added that they do not justify the disrespect toward women seen during the week.
The controversy began with an interview in which Bachelet left the door open to a third presidential bid. Olivares reacted by asking her to stay "as far away as possible from political debate". He also expressed a wish that the former president would retire to her home to be with her grandchildren.
The deputy went further. According to T13, he suggested that Bachelet follow the example of Matthei, the former mayor of Providencia and former UDI presidential candidate, and devote herself to cooking stews to teach people.
In her letter, Marín wrote that "cooking and caring for the family are valuable tasks and should not be belittled". According to the minister, using those tasks to respond to a political opinion amounts to assigning a woman a place solely because she is a woman.
The minister supported her argument with data. Women account for about 51% of the electoral roll, but hold 33.5% of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 32% in the Senate. In municipalities, they hold about 17% of mayoral posts and account for barely a third of council members.
For Marín, each disparaging remark raises those barriers and discourages those seeking to enter politics. "We can disagree in our ideas, but respect must come before any difference", the minister concluded.
The letter follows an earlier demand. On October 8, Marín had already rejected the remarks and demanded that the deputy apologize to Bachelet. The sources consulted do not report whether Olivares responded to that request.
Criticism came from across the political spectrum. Matthei defended the former president despite their differences and stated that the time when women were sent "to the kitchen" had already passed in Chile. The Socialist Party, meanwhile, announced that it will refer Olivares to the Chamber’s Ethics Committee.
