Ramírez podpira nadaljevanje Rabata in obtožuje Boricovo vlado, da krši zakon o zmanjšanju kazni

The Republican Party has entered into a sharp internal conflict with its coalition partners, the Union for Democracy Independent (UDI) and Renewal National, over the retention of Justice Minister Fernando Rabat. This dispute erupted following the administration’s issuance of decrees reducing prison sentences for individuals convicted of sexual offenses against minors. While a Tuesday lunch meeting among Republican deputies had suggested avoiding new disputes with the Chile Vamos alliance, recent public demands from UDI and Renewal National lawmakers for Rabat’s resignation have exhausted the patience of the party founded by President Jose Antonio Kast. Several Republican representatives have moved to publicly defend the President’s decision to keep Rabat in his post. Vicente Bruna, the general secretary of the Republicans, expressed regret over what he described as friendly fire during an interview on the podcast Como Te Lo Explico. He stated that such criticism should remain private so solutions can be found within the government. Deputy Agustin Romero adopted a harsher tone on the program Sin Filtros, criticizing colleagues who supported Kast during the election but now hesitate to back him. Romero argued that all deputies were elected as Kast’s representatives and must support the President’s decisions. He rejected suggestions that the minister should step down, asserting that the current moment requires unity behind the executive branch. Deputy Luis Fernando Sanchez aligned with Romero, stating that it is unjust to blame a minister for applying laws approved by Congress over the past two decades. Sanchez characterized legal guarantees as products of previous left-wing governments and claimed Rabat was the only justice minister he knew who actively fought against penal leniency in Congress to enforce stricter penalties. Deputy Alejandro Riquelme condemned calls for executive resignations from within the governing coalition as a lack of loyalty and political cowardice. He criticized officials who sought positions for their associates during the campaign but now hide or criticize the government when decisions are unpopular. Riquelme specifically highlighted the conduct of Senator Maria Jose Gatica of Renewal National, who left a political committee at La Moneda on Monday after demanding Rabat’s departure. The Republican leadership noted that Gatica’s husband, Samuel Valenzuela Salazar, works for Sercotec. Republican deputy Paz Charpentier stated that one does not abandon the President for executing the Constitution and laws, nor ministers for acting within their competencies. Deputy Javiera Rodriguez also weighed in on the matter. Meanwhile, UDI leader Guillermo Ramirez defended the continuity of Rabat while acknowledging the sensitivity of prioritizing political criteria over legal ones. Speaking on Mesa Central on Channel 13, Ramirez argued that it is difficult to ask a minister to act contrary to court rulings and clear statutory requirements just to avoid political problems. He declared that Rabat should not resign, calling him a revelation in the cabinet and praising his performance in Congress. Ramirez indicated that President Kast is dissatisfied with the situation caused by the sentence reductions but insisted the solution lies in legislative modification. He predicted that a bill announced by the minister would pass quickly and unanimously. Ramirez accused previous administrations, specifically the government of former President Gabriel Boric, of failing to comply with the law regarding procedural stages. He asserted that the Boric administration refused to sign certain decrees yet allowed individuals to be released anyway, thereby transferring responsibility to the Supreme Court without resolving the underlying issue. The controversy over sentence reductions triggered a secondary clash involving Republican leader Arturo Squella, who posted on social media comparing former Justice Minister Hernan Larraín of the UDI to Paul Schaefer, the leader of the Colonia Dignidad settlement. Following this exchange, which included critical statements from Evopoli leader Luciano Ruiz Coke, Ramirez, and former deputy Maria Jose Hoffman, tensions escalated. Larraín stated that after multiple conversations, the parties managed to prevent the issue from escalating to a point that could harm the government. Ramirez confirmed that Squella apologized to him personally and subsequently called Larraín, who resides in Spain, to offer apologies. Although Ramirez described Squella’s words as injurious and unacceptable, he valued the approach taken to de-escalate the conflict. He warned that such internal fights damage the government’s capacity to coordinate and pass projects in Congress, distracting from essential issues. The reduction of sentences for 56 people sentenced for sexual crimes initially sparked the crisis at La Moneda, drawing widespread rejection despite the legal basis cited by the defense.