the president of Chili, Gabriel Boricnullified the measure that replaced the term “First Lady’s Cabinet” by “Cabinet Irina Karamanos”, name of your partner, and will finally be replaced by “Sociocultural Coordination of the Presidency of the Republic”. The initial change sparked criticism from several opposition leaders.
Hours after the initial change was made official, the Presidency Press Office indicated that “on June 22, 2022 the change has been left without effect to resolution No. 978, of 2018″.
In the same statement, the Chilean government attributed the initial change to a “administrative error” and clarified that the name “Irina Karamanos Cabinet” was replaced, in line with the gradual transformation of the role of “First Lady”, by “Sociocultural Coordination of the Presidency of the Republic”.
The initial document, which It dates from the end of March but it was known this Wednesdayestablished the replacement of the First Lady’s Cabinet would be replaced by the “Irina Karamanos Cabinet”. This measure generated strong criticism for the personalization of the position.
Between the first lady roles —which Karamanos had promised to reformulate— are to “identify, propose and coordinate strategic guidelines and programmatic definitions for public policies, in order to contribute to the eradication of inequality and discrimination of historically excluded groups, with an intersectional approach, human rights and a gender perspective, initially with an emphasis on indigenous peoples, migration, gender and sex-gender diversity”.
“In the same way, it will participate in those private law foundations that do not pursue profit while it corresponds to chair the board of directors of the same“, indicates the resolution.
Karamans, anthropologist and feminist leader, said two months before the change of command that she was going to assume the role of First Lady, but “with the commitment to reformulate it.” She also said that her place in Boric’s government would be “change the way the relationship between power and women in politics is seen“.
Opposition reactions
The former presidential candidate Jose Antonio Kast (Republican Party), had questioned the initial modification. “At what point did our Republic become a Monarchy? Why does Irina Karamanos have a cabinet with a first and last name? Why is the State at the service of them and not of the Chileans? What a shame,” she wrote on her Twitter account.
Deputy Juan Antonio Coloma (Independent Democratic Union) also criticized the resolution and announced that it will appeal to the Comptroller. “Changing the name of the position” First Lady “for” Irina Karamanos “is typical of a Monarchy,” she wrote on her social networks
The senator Francisco Chahuan (National Renewal), said that this modification is “a new example of the total disconnection of the government with the citizen mandate” and expressed that “the institutions remain and the people pass.”
Mario Overflows, leader of Renovación Nacional, stated that “the essence of public office” is that it is “impersonal.” “The one who has a cabinet is the minister, mayor, etc., not the person who holds the position. I hope they correct it quickly,” he posted on his Twitter account.
for senator Matthias Walker (Christian Democracy), “it is one thing to try to put an end to democratic institutions with centuries of history; but replacing the impersonal character of the institutions is an error, so essential, that there is no other option but to correct it tomorrow”.
