The Senate Finance Committee was unable to convene this Tuesday due to the absence of key officials from the Ministry of Security, putting the modernization project for Chile's Carabineros on hold, according to elmostrador.cl.
Neither Minister María Trinidad Steinert, Undersecretary Andrés Jouannet, nor Undersecretary Ana Victoria Quintana attended the session. The meeting lasted only 22 minutes before being declared failed.
Senator Javier Macaya (UDI), chair of the committee, described the episode as “lamentable.” Displeasure was felt across the aisle among the legislators present.
Representing the Executive branch, Minister José García Ruminot (RN) attempted to downplay the situation, admitting to a lack of coordination. He explained that Minister Steinert was attending a PDI event alongside President José Antonio Kast.
Senator Daniella Cicardini (PS) criticized the officials' lack of commitment. “It is very regrettable, and frankly a bit shameful (…) it is a lack of respect for this committee, but also for the Carabineros,” the parliamentarian noted, according to the digital news outlet.
Senator Rodolfo Carter was even more severe in his critique of the government's management. “This is an unpardonable error. It undermines our entire narrative. It would have cost nothing to take a different approach,” the legislator stated.
Coordination Crisis in the Executive
The conflict began Monday with a memo from the Minister's Chief of Staff, Francisco Chambi, notifying the committee of Steinert's absence.
Subsequently, it was reported that the Undersecretary would also be unable to attend due to commitments at the Ministry of the Interior. This string of excuses left the committee without any valid government representatives to consult.
From the Chamber of Deputies, Representative Agustín Romero (Republican Party) warned that there will be no tolerance for such incidents. “Security is fundamental, and we are not going to be condescending toward this type of lack of coordination,” he affirmed.
The modernization project aims to reform the structure of the police force. Key provisions include extending the police career path, creating performance-based incentives, and optimizing personnel distribution.
The reform is considered critical given the institution's current staffing shortages and recruitment challenges. The next session must be rescheduled to arrange a new date for the officials' appearance.
