Santiago (EFE).- Moderate factions of the government coalition harshly criticized Tuesday Chilean President José Antonio Kast’s handling of the crisis involving the reduction of sentences for 56 child sex offenders.
Renovación Nacional (RN), one of the three traditional right-wing parties supporting the far-right president, was the first to speak up.
In a statement, the party expressed «serious reservations regarding the decisions made and the way the situation has been handled politically» and called for «a serious review of the procedures and responsibilities involved.»
The controversy is one of the most significant political crises since Kast’s administration began in March.
For weeks, it has placed Justice and Human Rights Minister Fernando Rabat in the crosshairs. Kast has been reluctant to dismiss Rabat, despite pressure from the opposition and the traditional right.
Last week, Kast dismissed the now-former Undersecretary of Justice, Luis Silva, for posting an unauthorized video on his social media accounts exonerating himself and placing the blame on his then-superior.
The scandal further damaged Kast’s battered image. His approval rating fell to its lowest level since he took office nearly eight months ago, standing below 30% in major polls published this weekend.
Kast stands by the Minister
While on an official trip to Italy, Kast once again stood by Rabat on Tuesday, confirming that he “took political responsibility” for the scandal.
«In a democracy like ours, ministers are appointed by the president of the republic. It is the president who asks them to step down, not members of the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate,» Kast stated after meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome.
The other two traditional right-wing parties, the UDI and Evópoli, echoed the RN’s criticism on Tuesday, increasing pressure on the leader of the ultra-conservative Republican Party.
«There’s no point in hiding the fact that a political mistake was made here, one that has had significant consequences,» UDI President Guillermo Ramírez acknowledged at a press conference after meeting with Interior Minister Claudio Alvarado at La Moneda, the seat of the Chilean government.
«We have come precisely to express our disagreement with how part of this debate has been handled,» added Evópoli president Luciano Cruz-Coke at the same press conference.
The left-wing opposition is seeking to impeach Minister of Justice Hernán Larraín in Parliament for signing several decrees between March and September that authorized reduced sentences for good behavior for 56 child sex offenders, as well as at least two individuals on trial for crimes against humanity committed during Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship (1973-1990).
The minister claimed he acted within the law and was obligated to sign the decrees because the Supreme Court automatically grants sentence reductions to prisoners, regardless of judicial discretion. However, various rulings published in the local media contradict his account.
Since 2022, a law has been in effect that excludes child sex offenders from these types of prison benefits. However, it cannot be applied retroactively, and several bills are currently pending to address this loophole.EFE
mmm/dgp/mcd
