An institutional crisis is unfolding at San Antonio's Claudio Vicuña Hospital following the mass resignation of 22 doctors, who have voiced their opposition to the move to oust the hospital's director, Loreto Maturana. The medical professionals announced they will step down starting April 27 to protest what they describe as a political witch hunt against the hospital's leadership.
The conflict erupted following the appointment of Dr. Jeanette Vega, former Undersecretary of Public Health, as the hospital's medical deputy director. According to reports from La Tercera, the Valparaíso-San Antonio Health Service attempted to remove Maturana so that an acting official could block the arrival of the former Undersecretary.
The crisis escalated when the hospital's leadership succession line refused to step into the roles. Ximena Pariente, who was slated to serve as acting director in Maturana's stead, rejected the appointment, as did Alex Gómez, head of the Critical Care Unit, and Mauricio Cortés, head of the operating theater, La Tercera reported.
The resigning doctors, some of whom are the only specialists in their respective fields, argue that the pressure on the director is not based on technical or professional grounds. In a collective letter, the professionals stated: “We respect Director Maturana's technical reasons for appointing Dr. Vega as deputy director of clinical management. Our goal is to save lives, and no other interests exist.”
Allegations of Ideological Persecution and 'Purge'
The conflict has moved beyond clinical concerns, evolving into a political confrontation. The Political Party for Democracy (PPD) issued a statement denouncing a “siege” and a “deliberate operation to expel a professional from public service solely because of a political career identified with progressivism,” according to CNN Chile.
The party noted that the scrutiny regarding Vega’s background—which includes serving with the WHO and holding a PhD in Public Health—is not based on her professional competence. The PPD directly accused members of Parliament and officials from the Republican Party of pressuring for the director's removal and using rhetoric such as “get Jeanette Vega and all the leftist doctors out.”
The party used harsh language to describe the situation, labeling the opposition's actions as “shameless ideological persecution” and a method of creating “blacklists.” In its statement, the PPD compared these actions to the period of the military dictatorship, remarking that “that is the spirit of 1973, dressed up as 2026.”
Meanwhile, former Interior Minister Carolina Tohá criticized the behavior observed in the case, stating that the presence of a dominant ideology is manifesting as “political persecution behaviors, which are the first sign of illiberal conduct.”
With the imminent departure of these specialists, the Ministry of Health has stated that contingency plans are in place. Sources within the Ministry told La Tercera that, should the resignations proceed, replacements will be dispatched from the central government to ensure the hospital remains operational.
