In an intricate political labyrinth is the current governor of the Metropolitan Region (RM), Claudio Orrego, after leaving the ranks of the Christian Democracy (DC) and raising the flag of independence in his search for re-election.
Continuing to be the regional governor is his objective, but the ruling party refuses to support independents outside the pact, and Governor Orrego still refuses to answer whether he will go in the DC quota as an independent. They offered it to him, but he maintains the suspense.
“There is no definition yet,” they told The counter sources close to Orrego, reaffirming that the only certainty is that the current regional governor is independent (not affiliated with any party) and hopes to represent the center-left, left and political center. The question is: how will he do it if both the center and the left are raising their own candidacies?
While Orrego thinks, in the ruling party Nathalie Joignant, a member of the Social Green Regionalist Federation (FRVS) and third majority in the last elections, rises as an alternative.
Furthermore, if Orrego decides to go as an independent outside of the pact, the Christian Democracy, which faces economic difficulties and would benefit from having a militant on the October 27 ballot, would already have its own candidate: the national advisor of the DC Nicolás Preuss.
Preuss, public administrator, former director of the National Youth Institute (Injuv) and coordinator of one of the Apruebo commands in Las Condes, told The counter that the decision within the party chaired by deputy Alberto Undurraga will be made at the next national council on March 9.
In the ruling party, which has committed part of its support to Orrego through several mayors, the slogan is clear: “He who has, keeps.” However, in the Metropolitan Region the question arises: who is in control? Is it Orrego or the DC?
From the FRVS they affirm that Joignant will look for a possibility to compete for the Metropolitan Government. “It is not negotiable,” said the helmsman of one of the ruling parties, Flavia Torrealba.
Asked about the support that Nathalie Joignant would have from the ruling party, she said that “at this point we are preparing to accompany our candidates,” although she specified that “we will only be available to go to primaries.”
So far, while Chile Vamos thinks about what kind of pacts it will make with the Republican Party, there are four virtual candidates on the ballot: Claudio Orrego, Nicolás Preuss, Nathalie Joignant and Gabriel Alemparte – or at least “the idea of supporting him,” as they say. around Senator Ximena Rincón of the Democratic Party.
A curious fact: both Alemparte and Preuss have been panelists on “Sin Filtros”. Both, the lawyer and vice president of Democrats and the DC counselor, have starred in brutal confrontations in the YouTube program.
The DC looks at his wallet
The Christian Democracy (DC) is immersed in a situation that has sparked debate within its ranks. Voices within the party suggest that the survival of the community depends on supporting its members.
And the fact is that the phalanx is not in a good economic situation. Last year, the DC was forced to put its headquarters in Alameda up for rent, as well as put some of its properties up for sale. In addition, the Konrad Adenauer foundation, historically an ally of the DC, has withdrawn its funding from the Democracy and Community Center.
The solution? During the January session of the national council of the Christian Democrats, the amounts that the party would receive for fielding candidates in different territories during the last election were revealed. In total, as detailed by Councilor Preuss, between governors, cores, mayors and councilors, there are about $1,752 million that the party is risking in the next electoral processes.
In the last elections, the DC ran six candidates for governor and four were elected: Jorge Díaz (Arica and Parinacota Region), Cristina Bravo (Maule Region), Claudio Orrego (Metropolitan Region) and Patricio Vallespín (Los Lagos Region) .
Mayor Leitao’s crucial support
The candidacy of Nicolás Preuss in the DC could put the mayor of the party Carolina Leitao, successor of Claudio Orrego in the Municipality of Peñalolén, in trouble, who together with a group of mayors close to the Government of President Gabriel Boric pledged support for the current regional governor .
Leitao, community leader and president of the Chilean Association of Municipalities (AChM), led a lunch in December of last year where the guest of honor was Governor Orrego.
Mayors Gonzalo Durán (Independencia, ex-PS), Gonzalo Montoya (Macul, ex-Comunes), Karina Delfino (Quinta Normal, PS), Cristóbal Labra (San Joaquín, independent) arrived at the meeting at the Café Torres de la Alameda. , Tomás Vodanovic (Maipú, RD), Maximiliano Ríos (Lo Prado, PPD), Felipe Muñoz (Estación Central, independent and close to the Frente Amplio), Mauro Tamayo (Cerro Navia, independent, ex-PC).
The meeting was perceived as a clear sign of support from the communal chiefs for the governor. Preuss stated that, if his candidacy is confirmed, the most logical thing would be for all militants to support him.
In the Christian Democrats, objections have already arisen to support Orrego. The fact that he resigned from the party in October of last year is still a cause of resentment among some members, especially while awaiting the results of a sanctioning process by Servel against the phalanx, for not promptly reporting Claudio Orrego’s resignation.
DC or independent outside the pact? That is the question, although it is also seen as a possibility that Orrego competes through a Socialist Party quota, according to sources close to this community.
And the opposition?
The president of the Republican Party, Arturo Squella, said in January to The Mercury that his letter for the governorship of the Metropolitan Region will be the former minister and former mayor Macarena Santelices, who was also spokesperson for José Antonio Kast’s presidential campaign.
Within Chile Vamos, currently only the figure of Carlos Ward (UDI) is visible, who has previously held positions as councilor and regional councilor in the region. However, this political sector maintains that it is too early to make decisions and that various alternatives are being evaluated.