In Cerro Castillo: UDI deputies ask Kast not to lose focus due to agendas pushed by libertarians and republicans

The presidential palace in Cerro Castillo was plunged into darkness for several minutes late Tuesday evening, disrupting a meeting between President José Antonio Kast and members of the Unión Demócrata Independiente (UDI) parliamentary bloc. The power outage affected parts of Viña del Mar and interrupted discussions that had been ongoing for more than three hours regarding legislative priorities following the passage of the major reform. A backup generator allowed the conversation to continue after the initial disruption. President Kast arrived at the meeting with a positive outlook. Just before the session began, while legislators were heading to the presidential residence, the Senate approved by 27 votes a mechanism to compensate municipalities for the exemption of contributions, the final piece of legislation needed to complete the reform process. In this context, the president thanked the UDI for its support during the reform’s implementation and emphasized that the government's current focus would shift toward security and employment issues, requesting congressional collaboration. Before the formal discussion, Kast engaged in informal exchanges with some of the parliamentarians and showed them around his office at Cerro Castillo. A UDI member described the meeting as "very pleasant, relaxed, and conducted in an atmosphere of trust." However, the gathering took place amid controversy over criticism from the Republican Party directed at Interior Undersecretary Máximo Pavez. This followed the resignation of Juan Pablo Rodríguez from the Treasury Undersecretariat after testing positive for drug use. The issue created tension between Interior Minister Claudio Alvarado, who attended the meal, and Republican Party leader Arturo Squella, further straining relations within the ruling coalition. Both sides held discussions throughout the day to resolve the dispute. Despite these tensions, the UDI considered the matter closed. Nevertheless, the Republican Party remained visible in the conversation with the president. With the major reform completed, UDI deputies approached the meeting with two clear requests: advancing the security and job creation agenda, and reinforcing communication efforts, which have become a primary concern among the lawmakers. Regarding the first request, the legislators presented the "No More Martyrs in Carabineros" agenda, introduced on Tuesday, proposing initiatives aimed at protecting the police institution. During the meeting, leaders such as UDI bloc head Flor Weisse, Marco Antonio Sulantay, and party president Guillermo Ramírez stressed that the administration must prioritize security and requested specific progress on the Rules of Use of Force (RUF) and juvenile criminal responsibility projects. They reminded the president that he should maintain the path set during the campaign and warned against losing focus on initiatives pushed by Republicans and the National Libertarian Party (PNL). Both groups have urged the government to advance proposals such as "Listen to Your Heart," granting pardons to military personnel convicted during the social unrest, abolishing the National Institute for Human Rights (INDH), and privatizing Coldeco. Within the UDI, these topics are not currently considered priorities. Some deputies also called for accelerating other initiatives focused on economic recovery, particularly for women. The party recalls having a technical committee dedicated to developing proposals centered on this theme. Another topic discussed during the meeting was the government's communication strategy. Members of the UDI expressed concerns about how effectively the administration is conveying its message. They emphasized the need for improved coordination and outreach to ensure public understanding of key policies and initiatives.