July 4, 2021
Elisa Loncon photo: agencia uno
Today a march in support of the installation of the Constitutional Convention (CC) that is set to draft Chile’s new Constitution was attacked by the Carbineros, the brutal military police founded by Pinochet, firing tear gas in downtown Santiago as the session was about to begin.
Meanwhile inside the meeting Mapuche Indigenous people representative Elisa Loncon was elected President of the Constituent Convention (CC), as the first order of business.
She won the presidency by an overwhelming majority of 96 votes in the second round after a first round where she gained 58 votes.
Loncon is a doctor and university professor at the University of Santiago. Her election represents a victory for Chilean Indigenous communities, which have been historically neglected by neoliberal governments. Representing the Social Convergence Alliance, Jaime Bassa was elected for the CC Vice President post. He secured 84 votes.
A meme sent out read, “Indigenous women are a fundamental part of the re-foundation of the country. We were always the last in history. Today, we are reborn together. Thanks to the women of all peoples.”
The Constituent Convention is made up of 155 people (78 men and 77 women) who were selected in the first parity vote in Chile’s history. To ensure the representativeness of all sectors, 17 seats were reserved for Indigenous peoples communities.
The Convention has a maximum term of 12 months to draft the new Constitution, which must be approved in a plebiscite.
Source: Telesur