According to Emol, several of President José Antonio Kast's ministers spoke out this week to explain the cuts in the 2027 Budget and call for calm. The bill, which Kast announced in a nationwide broadcast, has begun debate in Congress.
The cuts that have drawn the most attention are concrete. Culture will see a decrease of 10.1%. In Education, funding for Bicentennial High Schools, an initiative of former President Sebastián Piñera, falls by 45%.
The government also decided to end "I Choose My PC," the program launched by former President Michelle Bachelet that provided computers to students. It was part of the ICT Scholarships (Information and Communication Technologies) run by Junaeb, the National Board of School Assistance and Scholarships. Emol reports that in 2026 it had "$34,796,094 million," a figure that should be treated with caution because the outlet provides no details.
The list continues. Funding for the program implementing the Cholito Law on responsible pet ownership falls by 86%. The Prodemu Foundation receives funding only for its "closure, liquidation and dissolution." And the Ministry of Science faces a 7.4% cut, with an emphasis on scholarships.
Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz set the terms after the bill was submitted on Monday. He said the government is willing to hear proposals for individual budget allocations, but "always maintaining the overall spending budget." Put simply: you can move money between drawers, but the size of the cabinet does not change.
Education Minister María Paz Arzola told Tele13 Radio there is a willingness to be flexible "as long as those underlying objectives are not distorted." She added that tuition-free education, scholarships, meals and the TNE, the student transit pass, will remain in place for higher education students.
Culture Minister Francisco Undurraga acknowledged a "tight" budget but maintained that "there is no bad news here." Regarding the Cultural Pass, he said it had been redesigned with $3 billion to reach 140 thousand heads of households in the poorest 40% with children under 18. The amount per person rises from $50 thousand to $75 thousand.
Minister of Women Judith Marín blamed Irina Karamanos, former President Gabriel Boric's former partner, for the end of Prodemu. In El Mercurio, she said the damage caused during the previous administration was "irreparable." She announced that the funds would go to ministry services and to $4,000 million in compensation through Capital Abeja Emprende and Mujeres Pioneras.
In Energy, the cut exceeds 11%. Minister Ximena Rincón explained on EmolTV that around 70% of the allocation goes to Enap, the state oil company, to subsidize gas in Magallanes. According to her, the reduction reflects more efficient and cheaper production, and residents of the region will continue receiving the subsidy.
The bill now goes through congressional subcommittees, where each minister must defend their allocation before lawmakers.
