The Legislative Battle Begins
The National Reconstruction bill, the cornerstone of President José Antonio Kast’s administration, began its journey through the Senate this week after clearing the Chamber of Deputies. The initiative reaches the Upper House with its core measures intact, yet it faces a tight legislative path. Specific provisions—including tax stability, property taxes, and employment credits—are currently under the microscope of opposition senators, swing voters, and even members of the Chile Vamos coalition.
Bárbara Figueroa, General Secretary of the Communist Party (PC), has called on the Executive to abandon its haste and open a genuine space for dialogue. Speaking on La Tercera’s programDesde La Redacción, the leader rejected claims that the opposition is acting out of obstructionism, arguing that the burden of proof lies solely with the government.
“The burden of proof does not lie with the opposition. When you are the government, you are called upon to open a dialogue, just as those now in power demanded when they were in the opposition,” Figueroa stated. The Communist leader noted that during Gabriel Boric’s administration, the current ruling party—specifically the Republican Party—systematically rejected landmark laws like the pension reform, a precedent she believes must be considered to avoid double standards: “No one is questioning that today.”
Growing Frustration in the Senate
Discontent with the Executive’s strategy is not limited to the traditional opposition. Senator Vlado Mirosevic of the Liberal Party (PL), also speaking to La Tercera, described the bill's processing as a missed opportunity to reach a national agreement on the country’s economic recovery.
“This government is squandering the chance to reach a major agreement for the country’s economic recovery,” Mirosevic argued. The Democratic Socialist legislator questioned the technical management behind the initiative, labeling Minister Quiroz’s proposal an “eighties-style formula” that, in his view, is disconnected from current evidence.
For Mirosevic, the speed imposed in the Lower House is unprecedented in recent legislative history. “I don’t recall another mega-reform of this kind being approved so quickly in the Chamber. For starters, I don’t recall a mega-reform that bundles so many different issues into 42 articles—so many subjects in a single bill,” the senator noted.
The Liberal lawmaker emphasized that there is a cross-party sentiment in the Senate regarding the imprudence of rushing a reform of such magnitude. “In the Senate, we are going to take our time, and I hope the government shows a willingness to engage in dialogue,” concluded Mirosevic, who expressed his personal frustration with the direction the legislative debate has taken.
