Political positions of Sebastián Piñera

Chilean president Sebastián Piñera has declared his position on many political issues through his public comments and legislative record. While he belongs to the right-wing party Renovación Nacional Piñera himself says he is "almost" a Christian Democrat.

Education

With respect to the massive 2011–2012 Chilean student protests, Piñera has defended for-profit activity in education and proposed to legalize it, rejecting the students demands for the public ownership of educational establishments.[1] Piñera considers education a consumer good.[2]

Foreign policy

As president, Piñera expressed support for the Argentine claim on the Falkland Islands, as "the unrenounceable rights of Argentina on the islands."[3]

After the death of Hugo Chávez, the president of Venezuela and on the other side of the political spectrum, it was known that on 4 May 2010, during a Unasur summit, Piñera agreed with him a verbal and previously unreleased personal non-aggression pact.[4]

Pinochet's dictatorship

Piñera has declared he voted No in the 1988 plebiscite on whether Augusto Pinochet should stay on power until 1997.[5] In 1998, Piñera opposed the arrest and detention of Pinochet in London, initiated by Baltasar Garzón, arguing that it was an attack on the sovereignty and dignity of Chile.[6]

References

  1. Cadena Nacional de Radio y Televisión: Presidente Piñera anunció Gran Acuerdo Nacional por la Educación Government of Chile. July 5th of 2011. Accessdate July 5th of 2011
  2. Gobierno aclara dichos de Presidente Piñera sobre educación
  3. Chile y las Malvinas, Juan Gabriel Valdés. Blogs El Mercurio. January 6, 2012.
  4. Phillip Durán in Chilean newspaper La Tercera, on 9 March 2013, article El pacto de Buenos Aires, retrieved on 9 March 2013
  5. Piñera y sus raíces DC, La Tercera
  6. Piñera y su acalorado apoyo a Pinochet en 1998. La Nación, 10 de diciembre de 2009 (part of the speech can be seen at Youtube).
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