LET’S TALK ABOUT TV. In election campaign

According to televised information, there is practically no area where mayors and councilors do not have something to say – even if they do not have powers or resources – (for example) for security issues, the fight against drug trafficking and less capacity to confront crime. organized.

José Luis Córdova. Journalist. “The century”. Santiago. 3/20/2024. The television channels have already started the electoral campaigns for mayors, councilors, governors and regional councilors throughout the country, elections that will take place on October 27. There is already talk of extending the voting for two days given the complexity of the process.

According to Servel, the official electoral propaganda period should begin on May 9 and primaries should be held on June 9 for political parties and coalitions to define their candidates among the internal forces of each community and independent applicants.

The current communal leaders – trusting in the traditional “he who has, maintains” – grab their elbows to appear on camera and look for any pretext for the channels to invite them or visit their communes and show their “accomplishments”.

As in many cases there is little to show, then the best thing is to join the popular demands, protest in neighborhoods, towns and camps; criticize the central government and – above all – join the demands for greater security, the feeling of fear that the same channels irresponsibly foster and encourage.

Several councilors enjoy a particular “stardom”, such as that of Puente Alto, Germán Codina, that of La Florida, Rodolfo Carter, that of Viña del Mar, Macarena Ripamonti and Jorge Sharp in Valparaíso. Some will have the opportunity to run for re-election, but there are others who, fortunately or unfortunately, will not be able to repeat the dish.

Friendships, influence peddling, favors received and other practices border on bribery and bribery, crimes that can hardly be proven, but there are cases in which they are obvious or poorly concealed.

Opening squares, children’s games, paving streets, cleaning canals and illegal garbage dumps appear as spontaneous, daily and permanent activities among the municipal tasks that, in normal periods, are conspicuous by their absence and are demanded by neighbors.

Outside of the curious right-wing dispute for mayor of Las Condes – where the current authority, Daniela Peñaloza, faces the “friendly fire” of former minister Marcela Cubillos, this political sector undertakes them especially against the current communist mayors.

In the case of Daniel Jadue in Recoleta, it is clear that he cannot run for re-election and appears as his natural successor to the graduate in history and public administration, the communist councilor Fares Jadue – who has no relationship with the current authority. -.

Meanwhile, Mayor Irací Hassler in Santiago has people coming to the way of the Socialist Party with the pre-candidacy of Ismael Calderón who could ignore the unitary agreement of the ruling party to confront with possibilities the right and the Republicans who want to recover popular communes. Likewise, the right is preparing the nomination of the former Carabinero and former Piñera minister, Mario Desbordes, and the also former Piñera minister, Rodrigo Delgado.

In that sector, they hope that people from the so-called Yellow and Democratic “parties” who until now do not have representation in the disputed territories will join the unleashed anti-communist campaign.

According to televised information, there is practically no area where mayors and councilors do not have something to say – even if they do not have powers or resources – (for example) for security issues, the fight against drug trafficking and less capacity to confront crime. organized.

Unfortunately, reports of cases of corruption also appear every day in all types of mayors and communes throughout the country, an issue that no longer surprises anyone and situations of abuse, embezzlement of funds, tax fraud, bonuses, hours irregular extras and other crimes.

The General Director of Carabineros, Ricardo Yáñez, and the now former director of the Investigative Police, Sergio Muñoz, are being investigated by the Public Ministry, both authorities responsible for the prosecution of crime, drug trafficking and organized crime. Both formalized or in the process of being formalized, a true record for the Guinness Book.

The icing on the cake in the coming days will be the decision made by the mayor of Providencia, Evelyn Matthei, one of the most anticipated right-wing figures for the opposition’s presidential candidacy for next year’s elections. Piñera’s former spokesperson, Jaime Bellolio, is being proposed for the position. Could Matthei run for mayor and then resign for the presidential race? Situations that would be curious, but truly questionable and even inexplicable.

The upcoming electoral campaign is “papita pa´loro” for the shows television, morning shows and pseudo “political” programs. Tomás Mocciati, Matías del Río and Mónica Rincón rub their hands and the “political” programs returned to the screens, “Zero Tolerance” on CNN-Chile, “Estado Nacional” on TVN and “Mesa Central” on Channel 13. Along with the newscasts, have already begun the electoral campaign that must culminate on November 23, 2025 when the President of the Republic will be elected. Be careful, the political campaigns will not stop until then.