The 3% budget cut mandated by the Ministry of Finance for all other government departments under the administration of José Antonio Kast is already having concrete effects, particularly in the development of advanced human capital. The Ministry of Science has decided to reduce scholarships for studies abroad this year. The Minister herself, Ximena Lincolao, explicitly stated this to the Science Committee of the Chamber of Deputies last Monday: one of the areas targeted for cuts will be master's and postdoctoral programs abroad, which have historically been crucial for the internationalization of Chilean researchers. It should be noted, however, that these scholarships have been declining in recent years. In master's programs abroad, the number of scholarships decreased from 217 in 2022 to 136 in 2023, and then to 78 in 2024, with a projected 80 slots for 2025. The reduction is equally significant in postdoctoral programs, dropping from 57 scholarships for international studies in 2022 to 27 in 2023 and 22 in 2024. Last year, a total of 102 students were receiving scholarships for master's and postdoctoral studies abroad. According to Lincolao, each scholarship involves an expenditure of between 60 and 80 million pesos, plus ongoing support for the professional for at least 16 years. Doctoral scholarships, which the government aims to prioritize for domestic studies and maintain abroad, are also subject to this downward trend. The number of scholarships for studying abroad fell from 231 in 2022 to 118 in 2023, 113 in 2024, and 49 in 2025. "We have decided that master's and postdoctoral programs abroad, at this moment, given all the country's priorities and the resources we have, are areas where we can reduce spending without affecting other areas," the minister stated before the Chamber. This decision is initially temporary, subject to evaluation and dependent on additional resources. Following the cuts, the Ministry of Science will have a budget of approximately 563 billion pesos, as announced by the ministry. To achieve this, the temporary suspension of master's and postdoctoral scholarships abroad has been confirmed. "This is not a direct cut to science," Lincolao emphasized. "We are not cutting any programs that go to scientists or research centers." However, Ximena Báez, president of the Network of Researchers, commented that they are aware of the changes and are concerned about the signals of cuts and adjustments. She pointed out that these cuts to instruments directly affect researchers and the country's development. She also expressed concern that these cuts could extend to other projects, particularly the InEs Género (Innovation in Higher Education Gender) program, which has played a fundamental role in universities in promoting gender equality, a topic that seems not to matter to the authorities. This is evident in the closures of Gender Units in several ministries. "This is an issue we want to discuss with the minister, and we have already requested a meeting," she added. Within the ministry, this austerity spirit has also been reflected in its administration. There are plans to maintain or merge only one cabinet team for the minister and the Subsecretariat of Science. Additionally, in the past week, the head of Information Technology and the acting head of the Directorate of Administration and Finance were dismissed. Another person who was dismissed after only one week was Gonzalo Quiroga Soria, a Bolivian citizen who was accused of corruption during his time at the Ministry of Planning in his home country.