The anticipated cold war between the bureaucracy and the controller Dorothy Pérez

The relationship between the ruling party and Contralora Dorothy Pérez has deteriorated significantly since she took office, with tensions escalating over her assertive approach to oversight. On February 25, Pérez, the head of the National Audit Office, emphasized during a training session for incoming officials that she would hold the current government to the same standards she applied to previous administrations. Her remarks were met with enthusiastic applause as she welcomed President-elect José Antonio Kast and 14 future cabinet members to the Teatinos 56 building. In recent weeks, criticism against Pérez’s leadership has intensified, coming from unexpected quarters. The president of the Republican Party, which represents the ruling coalition, Senator Arturo Squella, along with the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Jorge Alessandri (UDI), have accused her of exceeding her authority through several rulings and reports issued by the Contraloría. These accusations mark a shift in tone, as they come from figures typically aligned with the executive branch. Legal experts note that this kind of tension is not unusual within Chile's political framework. Since 1943, when the Contraloría was granted constitutional autonomy, no administrator has gone through a term without facing some form of executive pushback. Luis Cordero, a law professor specializing in administrative law, explains that the Chilean model grants the Contraloría four distinct powers: overseeing state spending, auditing public administration, determining official accountability, and interpreting laws affecting public governance. This concentration of power makes the position inherently contentious for any administration. Pérez, who assumed her role in November 2024 after nearly a year of acting in the position, holds a degree from the University of Chile and master’s degrees in public management from the Catholic University of Valparaíso and Adolfo Ibáñez. She has consistently maintained that her approach is consistent with past practices, stating that her team should expect scrutiny until specific allegations are addressed. This philosophy appears to have been tested earlier than anticipated. On July 1, Pérez released Dictamen N° 344/2026, criticizing former Minister of Security María Trinidad Steiner for requesting detailed information from the Internal Security Directorate regarding personnel linked to an ongoing investigation involving the Anti-Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit. Steiner had previously been part of that unit before stepping down from her post. Those close to Pérez acknowledge that while the timing of these criticisms has surprised many, they were not entirely unforeseen. In October, Pérez received praise from business leaders and right-leaning politicians at an event in Icare, where President-elect Kast expressed approval of her stance. According to Pérez’s associates, she had already warned her staff that such scrutiny could last up to a year or until a specific case was resolved. As the situation unfolds, observers will be watching how both sides navigate this evolving dynamic, particularly given the potential implications for transparency and governance in the new administration.