The contest for control of the municipal seat in Santiago has begun, marked by tensions and divisions within the ruling parties, although there are still eight months left until the municipal elections.
The current mayor, Irací Hassler of the Communist Party (PC), has confirmed her intention to seek re-election, supported by her party. However, the Socialist Party (PS) has raised the candidacy of Ismael Calderón, generating an internal division and raising the possibility of competing in primaries.
Various representatives of both factions have issued statements in support of their respective candidates. However, this Friday, socialist deputies such as Daniella Cicardini and Daniel Manouchehri, along with the party’s vice president, Eduardo Bermúdez, surprised by supporting the current mayor, thus contradicting the official position of the PS.
From the Pascucci café located in the capital’s Plaza de Armas, Mayor Hassler noted that “this is a significant gesture to advance in unity.”
“Unity is required”
Deputy Manouchehri said that it was a good meeting where they were able to discuss the different policies implemented during the administration of the current communal chief. “The right left Santiago mired in a security crisis, with public spaces destroyed, with problems with immigration (to which they contributed with concrete actions), and Mayor Hassler has been very active in raising the commune and recovering public spaces” Manouchehri said.
Regarding the situation regarding the definition of candidates, Manouchehri indicated that, to face the next elections, unity is required.
“The challenge we have is of such magnitude that cohesion is very necessary. Only with unity is the future possible. The pro-government forces must put the focus of internal disputes on the communes governed by the right, those spaces are conducive to holding primaries. Where there are mayors who are up for re-election, the most practical thing is for them to be the unity candidates, since the fact of being in office generally gives them more positioning and support, with few exceptions,” commented the PS deputy.
For her part, the deputy and vice president of the PS Daniella Cicardini, valued the efforts made by the mayor regarding security, recovery of public spaces, and beautification of the city.
“Today we need leadership committed to their territory and that has been demonstrated in the work of Mayor Hassler. The candidacies will be defined by the parties, and we respect that institutionality. The most politically and electorally responsible thing to do is to understand that in most cases, incumbent mayors are in better conditions to compete. The important thing is to keep in mind that to face the municipal elections, unity is required,” Cicardini stressed.
Mayor Hassler, for her part, appreciated the gesture of the PS leaders, thanking Manouchehri, Deputy Cicardini and PS Vice President Eduardo Bermudez “for their interest in knowing the progress of this administration and thanking them for their appreciation of the recovery of public spaces and the various works of the commune.”
“I appreciate that projects that are common can be welcomed. “This is a significant gesture to move forward in unity,” she concluded.
