Upcoming Cabinet Reshuffle in Chile: What to Expect

This October 26 and 27, all eyes will be on the municipal and gubernatorial elections, but starting at 6:00 pm this Sunday, La Moneda will begin to prepare for the Cabinet change.

This position would have a deadline of November 15, the last day the incumbent authorities must be candidates for the 2025 parliamentary and presidential elections.

The effects of this weekend’s elections, added to what is to come next year, and even the “damage” caused by the Monsalve Case inside the Palace, make the ministerial reform imminent.

Government Spokesperson Weighs In

Government Spokesperson, Camila Vallejo, first touched on this issue, asserting that “an indisputable fact is that they must resign in mid-November, if the government authority decides to participate in the next parliamentary elections, and that implies a change of cabinet.”

“The extent of this does not necessarily depend on the decision of those elected, but on the readiness and evaluation of their own parties to have the senators or some authority in office as a candidate. There is a legal hurdle to continue and therefore it would suggest adjustments,” she asserted.

Changes and Departures: The Prelude to an Expected Cabinet Reshuffle

However, this scenario has not yet produced a direct conversation between La Moneda and the parties regarding the names that would leave or join Gabriel Boric’s team of ministers, although lights are already beginning to be seen.

From the Communist Party, they begin to test the ground so that the authorities like Nicolás Cataldo – head of Education – and Jeannette Jara (Labour) make the leap from the Palace to the National Congress.

A name that appeared on the horizon is also Senator José Miguel Insulza (SP), who shared a note from La Segunda on his social networks and presented it as a letter to replace his party partner, Maya Fernández, in Defence, that would aim for a seat in the Senate for Valparaiso.

Minister of the Interior Speaks Out

The one who did not want to refer to a possible departure from the cabinet was Carolina Tohá, the Minister of the Interior, and one of those who were hardest hit by the Monsalve Case, along with Antonia Orellana, who said “I am here firmly in charge of tasks and committed to moving them forward. Now that we’ve lived with the undersecretary, I’m even more focused on practicing my position to take care of people, not to take care of myself.”

This gesture is not shared within the Frente Amplio, where the militant PPD is considered one of the main responsible parties for the communications disaster left by the departure of the former under-secretary.

Deputy Eric Aedo Weighs In

Deputy Eric Aedo (DC), the vice-president of the House of Commons, asked for someone in his place in the Political Committee, as his work in the face of the crisis unleashed by the PS militant who has resigned/expelled “leaves a blanket of doubts and there are political responsibilities that must be taken and, therefore, changing the cabinet is not only necessary, but also urgent.”