The President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, confirmed this Saturday that he has accepted the resignation of his Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Marcela Ríos, and her replacement by the lawyer Luis Cordero amid the controversy over the pardons granted to those convicted of the social outbreak prior to Boric’s arrival in power.
“Because there were untidiness in the execution of my decision to grant pardons and considering, in addition, the need to strengthen the political management of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, I have decided to accept the resignation of Marcela Ríos Tobar from said portfolio”, has explained Boric in statements collected by the newspaper ‘El Mercurio’.
For Boric, “when situations of these characteristics occur in politics, we must assume responsibilities,” he argued in reference to the announcement of pardon for eleven people, when there were finally thirteen.
The opposition had criticized the minister and had announced the presentation next Monday of a constitutional accusation against Ríos, which could prosper even after the resignation. In addition, filing this same action against Boric is not ruled out.
“Eleven months passed in which he had to appoint a National Prosecutor and, of course, eleven months in which he had to advise the President not to pardon people with a criminal record, not to pardon people with previous pardons, not to pardon terrorists,” it was stated. deputy Jorge Alessandri, from the conservative Independent Democratic Union (UDI), lamented.
Also this Saturday the resignation of Matías Meza-Lopehandía as chief of staff was announced. “The President of the Republic has accepted the resignation of Matías Meza-Lopehandía as chief of staff,” La Moneda reported.
Boric met Meza-Lopehandía during his time at the University of Chile and was part of his team of advisors in Parliament. He is a lawyer specializing in Human Rights and has a master’s degree in this subject from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
He was also part of the group in charge of preparing the government plan during the campaign and held the position of executive secretary of the political campaign team. At the moment it has not been announced who will replace Meza-Lopehandía.
