Back from Chile

a busy time full of memorable events

I must apologize for the interruption of my chronicles on Substacks.

My new life in exile has come full of surprises and demands. The war on Ukraine and the threat of the use of nuclear weapons by Russia, besides the fact that wars often result in unforeseen events that from one day to the next could turn the present confrontation into a worldwide conflagration, has absorbed the world´s attention.

I am worried and saddened by this untimely war. Putin´s reasons cannot mask his real intentions to reestablish the stature and control of the Soviet Union over all those republics and countries who used to be its area of influence. I can only hope, like many of us do, that this Ukrainian adventure of his will show him that the world will not accept such imperialist aims.

At this point, the plight of Nicaraguan political prisoners which include to top political leadership of the country, seems not as relevant as the death and destruction in Ukraine. But for Nicaragua and for me, they continue to matter, more so because their health is deteriorating every day.

On a more hopeful note, President-elect Gabriel Boric invited me to his inauguration. A particularly important and telling invitation that showed he was breaking ranks with Daniel Ortega’s regime, which has forced me into exile.

It was a joy to get this invite and though it implied expenses and an exceptionally long trip, I decided I couldn’t miss it.

I left Madrid on March 8th at midnight and arrived the next morning in Santiago.

The ceremony of transfer of power took place on March 11th. at the Congress building in Valparaíso. It was a grand affair with the usual rituals, but it was interesting to see the roar and applause when Gabriel Boric walked into the halls of Congress and it was also interesting to see Pres, Piñeira depart as soon as he released the presidential sash which was then placed on Boric.

Then the young president called his cabinet, and sworn them in. Chile does not have a vice presidential position. The second in command is the Minister of the Interior, in this case Iskia Siches, a doctor who was instrumental in Boric´s campaign. She is a tall, handsome, black hair, dark eyes woman, who later accompanied the President on his ride on an open car towards La Moneda palace.

Of the twenty-four ministerial positions, fourteen are held by women. A majority, a feminist cabinet for the first time in Latin America.

Guests and diplomats were now inside La Moneda interior courtyard, and we saw the arrival of the President who stood for a moment at the statue of President Allende. One could see in Boric’s face that the reality of what he had accomplished began to sink in when he saw the red carpet, the troops standing on attention and went up the main balcony of the building to deliver his speech to the crowd that filled the plaza.

His speech was promising in that it remarked what, I think, will be a new kind of left in Latin America. He talked of inclusivity, he said that the defense of Human Rights will be fundamental in his dealings with governments whether they are from the left of the right, he said they would probably make mistakes but will try to amend them as well as possible, and he called on the people of Chile to not stand back but be a part of the effort to recreate and improve their country. It was a warm and strong speech, which recognized in a very emotional moment the hurt of so many at losing friends and family to the pandemic, and at the end his girlfriend, Irina Karamanos, a feminist leader, joined him at the balcony of La Moneda.

Later, I went to say hello to him and joined the lengthy line of people waiting to congratulate the newly elected president personally. Gustavo Petro, from Colombia, was next to me and he remembered when some years back I came to his office when he was mayor of Bogota.

It was almost midnight when I finally made my way and got to greet President Boric and his amazing Minister of Foreign Affairs who I know quite well, Antonia Urrejola. She played an especially important part in Nicaragua in 2018 as the head of the Inter American Council on Human Rights of the OAS, which documented the massacre the Ortega/Murillo government conducted in Nicaragua in April 2018.

President Boric gave me a big smile, a big embrace and I congratulated him and asked him to please not forget to intercede for the freedom of Nicaragua’s political prisoners.

He promised he would not forget Nicaragua, and I am sure he will keep his promise.

I have the clear sense he is an empathetic leader. A different breed of politicians has come to power in Chile, and I have a good feeling they will not disappoint.