Senator Daniel Núñez, from the Communist Party (PC), defended the numerous amendments that have been proposed to the massive reform pushed by the government this Tuesday morning, dismissing any suggestion that they are an attempt to sabotage the initiative.
In a conversation with Radio ADN, the parliamentarian stated that they have "the right and the duty" to present amendments, arguing that the project is, in his opinion, more of a "tax counter-reform."
"This so-called reconstruction law is considering a wide range of issues; it should really be called a tax counter-reform law. Regardless of the name, they have the right to present amendments," he said.
The senator added that "the important thing is to legislate thoroughly, to work well, and that everyone can present their arguments and vote. The amendments do not prevent the law from being voted on," and that he would have liked to see more dialogue.
Furthermore, Núñez dismissed the idea that this was an act of sabotage, stating that "it is a matter of seriousness and rigor," and added that "if discussing and voting on these amendments requires, instead of five days, ten days, I believe the government should extend the urgency and give itself the time to discuss and vote on them; that is the minimum level of rigor required."
Finally, the senator stated that "if it were to be voted on today as it is, I would vote against it because what is being imposed here is a counter-reform..."
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The Communist Party (PC) Senator, Daniel Núñez, defended the numerous amendments proposed to the comprehensive reform pushed by the government this Tuesday morning, dismissing claims that it was an attempt to sabotage the initiative. In a conversation with Radio ADN, the parliamentarian stated that they have "the right and the duty" to present amendments, arguing that the project is more of a "tax counter-reform." "This so-called reconstruction law is considering various issues; it should really be called a tax counter-reform. Regardless of the name, they have the right to present amendments," he said. The senator added that "the important thing is to legislate rigorously, work well, and that everyone can argue their points and vote. The amendments do not prevent the law from being voted on," and that he would have liked to see more dialogue. Furthermore, Núñez dismissed the idea that it was sabotage, stating that "it's about seriousness and rigor," and added that "if discussing and voting on these amendments requires 10 days instead of five, I believe the government should extend the urgency and give itself the time to discuss and vote on them; that is the minimum rigor required." Finally, the senator stated that "if it were to be voted on today as it is, I would vote against it because what is being imposed here is a tax counter-reform that means the wealthiest people in Chile pay less taxes, benefits 1% of the population, and is defunding the state."
Calls for Mobilization
On the occasion, the senator also addressed the criticisms raised by President José Antonio Kast regarding the Communist Party's calls for mobilization. "I believe the President is losing sleep trying to figure out how to attack the Communist Party, and I would ask him to respectfully focus on thinking and making more efforts to combat crime and take measures against price increases. I believe that is the problem that is overwhelming the population," Núñez said. He also added that "I believe he is creating a smokescreen, trying to divert the public's attention to the communists to avoid addressing their own mistakes in governing." Finally, he stated that "protest is not synonymous with violence. Protest is a manifestation," and added that "it is not right, it is not fair to criminalize those calls."