President José Antonio Kast is presiding over a meeting this Tuesday with right-wing deputies and party leaders at the Cerro Castillo Presidential Palace in Viña del Mar. The summit aims to align the ruling coalition ahead of the presentation of a major legislative reform and a subsequent national broadcast.
The meeting's objective is to review the National Reconstruction Plan, which the press has dubbed the "miscellaneous law." According to reports from La Tercera, the President seeks to unify the sector in preparation for the initiative's legislative journey, which could begin in Congress as early as next week.
The project includes more than 40 measures covering tax adjustments, permitting processes, and the reconstruction of areas affected by wildfires. According to La Tercera, the government has ruled out introducing the initiative to Congress this Wednesday.
Tensions over content and legislative strategy
Despite the call for unity, internal divisions persist regarding the reform's content and legislative strategy. Some lawmakers are proposing to split the package of measures, while others are demanding the inclusion of direct benefits for the middle class to mitigate the political fallout from corporate tax reductions.
Deputy Jorge Alessandri, President of the Chamber of Deputies, told Cooperativa that while the plan provides a boost for the middle class, its impact will be long-term. "If there is more employment and investment, it will eventually reach the middle class, but the turnaround is long. What we are proposing is the introduction of direct and concrete measures so that the middle class feels the impact within the same quarter or semester," the lawmaker stated.
Meanwhile, Evópoli Senator Luciano Cruz-Coke suggested a strategy of legislative partitioning. According to Cooperativa, the senator proposed that "perhaps it would be better to have a single bill in the Chamber and then break it down in the Senate."
Senator and Republican Party leader Arturo Squella defended the importance of the initiative, highlighting the elimination of property taxes on primary residences. Speaking to Cooperativa, Squella maintained that if the project is approved, "the Chilean economy will skyrocket, and many of the problems we face will be resolved."
Also participating in the presidential meeting are Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz, Interior Minister Claudio Alvarado, and Presidential Secretary Minister José García. La Tercera indicated that Quiroz is the primary driver of the project and was scheduled to lead the technical presentations during the session.
