The Renovación Nacional (RN) parliamentary group has decided to back the National Reconstruction Plan, which President José Antonio Kast is set to present in a nationwide broadcast this Wednesday, April 15. The decision follows a series of meetings between lawmakers and the ministerial team aimed at narrowing the scope of the original proposal.
RN caucus leader Diego Schalper told CNN Chile that the initiative will be "scaled back" following negotiations with the Government. According to the legislator, the project will no longer include the broad range of points originally proposed, moving away from the idea of a massive package of measures.
Schalper detailed that the discussions involved Interior Minister Claudio Alvarado, Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz, and the Secretary General of the Presidency, José García. Following these meetings, the deputy stated, "We can say with great satisfaction that we have found a lot of receptivity and that, as a result, the project has been narrowed down."
Focus on economic recovery
According to reports from La Tercera, the Executive's original proposal exceeded 40 measures. However, Schalper affirmed that the number of points has been reduced and that the new design of the project focuses specifically on economic recovery and social development.
The lawmaker also expressed his desire for the legislative debate to be resolved quickly. "That will be our position, to cooperate with President Kast to ensure this moves forward," Schalper noted, with the goal of having the details of the project approved by the Chamber of Deputies ready for presentation during the President's public report in June.
Although Deputy Ximena Ossandón, the party's vice president, had previously suggested an intention to "parcel out" the legal initiative, Schalper downplayed any internal friction. The legislator maintained that the agreement to support the plan was solidified after the caucus submitted a document containing proposals to benefit SMEs and the middle class.
Along the same lines, Schalper reiterated to CNN Chile that the idea of a project of such massive scale has already been ruled out. The deputy emphasized that the priority now is to define how to focus on what directly impacts economic growth and the social well-being of the people.
