Crisis Chronology

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CHILE

12/17/2023

Proposed new constitution fails by a vote of 56% to 44%. Government says it will not try to write a third version, saying there are other priorities.

11/30/2023

The Constitutional Council of Chile — controlled by the right — approved the proposal for a new Constitution, which will be up for a citizens’ referendum on December 17. Voting will be compulsory.

10/31/2023

Chile and Colombia recall their ambassadors to Israel for consultation over the invasions of Gaza.

05/07/2023

Rightist candidates win a majority in the committee to rewrite the constitution. The Republican Party, led by former conservative firebrand presidential candidate Jose Antonio Kast, secured nearly 35 percent of the vote. President Gabriel Boric’s left-wing coalition won about 29 percent. Centrist parties took the remainder of the vote.

04/27/2023

Peru sends military to its border with Chile to prevent illegal migrants from crossing.

03/06/2023

New constitutional committee begins work on drafting a new constitution.

12/22/2022

Government says it will open embassy in Palestinian territories.

11/18/2022

Irina Karamanos, wife of President Boric, says she is ending the institutional role of the First Lady because the concept reeks of nepotism and sexism.

09/07/2022

Boric names new ministers for several cabinet seats and vows to seat a new constitutional process.

09/03/2022

Referendum on new constitution. It is resoundingly defeated with about 62% of the votes against it. Turnout was high.

07/04/2022

Constitutional commission gives complete draft of the new constitution to Boric. A referendum on approval of the constitution will be held 9/4.

06/01/2022

His favorability polling falling, Boric offers call for tax reform that would create a true social security system, and investment in infrastructure, housing, education, and other areas.

05/16/2022

Constitutional commission publishes a draft of the proposed new constitution. It increases autonomy for indigenous territories, expands environmental rights, and makes fighting climate change a constitutional duty for the state. Additionally, it calls for immediate presidential re-election and replaces the senate with a new "chamber of regions." It expands the social safety net, bolsters the power of workers, and establishes rights to healthcare and water. But it stops short of guaranteeing a right to housing (a major demand of progressive protest leaders), limits state power over the lucrative mining sector, and sticks clearly to the country’s market-based economic model. Polls have suggested that voters are lukewarm about the new constitution.

04/12/2022

Santiago government announces first water rationing plans in the city’s five centuries of existence. There has been a drought in the area for thirteen years. The plan would begin with voluntary restrictions and then when necessary, restrict water flow, and then rotate cutoffs of up to twenty-four hours in areas of the city.

12/19/2021

Boric elected president

In election today, Boric wins more than 55% of the vote, easily defeating Kast to become the youngest president of any major nation in the world.

11/21/2021

Far-right presidential candidate Jose Kast of the Republican Party holds a slight lead over Dominic Boric of the left-wing coalition Aprueba Dignidad, 28% to 26% in election today. There will be a runoff vote between them on 12/19.

11/16/2021

Senate votes against impeaching Piñera.

11/09/2021

Lower house approves impeachment trial of Piñera. The Senate must approve it by a two-thirds majority. The spur was a revelation in the Pandora Papers that a large copper and iron mine belonging to Piñera’s children was sold to a friend in 2010. The sale included a clause that the government would not establish an environmental protection area where the mine is. That would lie in the purview of the president, which was Piñera when the sale took place. Piñera denies that there was anything corrupt in the sale.

10/25/2021

José Antonio Kast, ultra-conservative is leading in polls for the presidential election in November, slightly ahead of former student leader Gabriel Boric.

10/13/2021

Opposition files impeachment proceeding against President Pinéra for financial dealings exposed in the Pandora Papers. A prosecutor has begun an investigation into alleged bribery, corruption, and tax violations.

10/12/2021

Government declares a “state of exception” and sends troops to the south, where the indigenous Mapuche people are demanding restoration of their ancestral lands and self-determination. Pinera describes the situation as caused by “drug-trafficking, terrorism, and organized crime.” After months of repeated demands, the Mapuche have armed and attacked trucks and buildings of the logging companies that control the land and recently have taken control of much of the Araucania region.

07/12/2021

Chinese ships, both military and private, usurping waters that are rightfully belong to the Philippines, according to a world court judgement.

06/11/2021

Santiago is shut down after a surge in COVID-19 cases, although the country as a whole is 60% vaccinated.

05/16/2021

Voting for representatives to the constitutional convention. In a surprise, leftists do better than the ruling center-right coalition. However, in a general rejection of the ruling parties, independent candidates do very well. Though generally to the left, they have a variety of issues they focus on, so it isn’t clear what direction the convention will take overall. However, it’s expected that social welfare will be prominent at the disadvantage to private economy.

10/25/2020

With most of the votes counted, referendum on forming a constitutional committee to write a new constitution to replace the one written during dictator Augusto Pinochet’s regime.

10/03/2020

Protests against police brutality after a teenager is nearly killed during a protest on 10/2.

05/24/2020

Hospitals reaching their capacity limit as cases of COVID-19 reach near 70,000 and deaths at 3500.

05/18/2020

Protests against the government resume due to food shortages related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

05/13/2020

Government imposes complete stay-at-home order on greater Santiago to slow the rise of COVID-19 cases. Chile has about 40,000 cases and 400 deaths.

04/20/2020

Government institutes program of “immunity passports,” which will be given to people who have recovered from COVID-19 and be exempt from quarantine or stay-at-home. Health officials express concern that recovery may not ensure immunity.

04/08/2020

Government creates $2 billion fund to help informal workers hurt by COVID-19 outbreak.

04/05/2020

Pinera causes outrage when he poses for a photograph at the now-deserted protest hub in Santiago.

03/03/2020

Chile confirms its first case of COVID-19.

03/02/2020

Pinera signs new law against femicide but stirs criticism by a remark suggesting that women sometimes invite abuse.

02/24/2020

Pinéra calls for national unity after anti-government protests on 2/22 and 2/23 at a music festival.

02/01/2020

Despite plans to rewrite constitution, protests continue, because many feel the changes will not address their concerns.

12/18/2019

Protests continue.

12/16/2019

Early returns show that 80% of voters are in favor of constitutional reform.

12/12/2019

Impeachment vote against Pinera fails to win a majority.

12/09/2019

Students continue protest marches, calling for structural changes to reduce inequality, economic injustice, and poor social services.

12/02/2019

Government announces $5.5 billion economic recovery plan, as finance minister cuts growth forecast for 2019 from 2% to 1.4%, and similar slow growth for 2020.

11/26/2019

Government asks legislature to fund deployment of military forces to protect infrastructure.

11/21/2019

A car drives into protestors. There is widespread belief police were driving the car, though no concrete proof.

11/15/2019

Referendum scheduled

Congress agrees to hold a referendum 4/20/20 on whether a constitution should be rewritten and whether the current legislators should be in charge of the writing of it. A second vote in 10/20 would allow voters to vote for the final list of those who will serve in the constitutional convention.

11/14/2019

Riots continue. The government is expecting current legislators to rewrite the constitution, but the opposition calls for more civilian contribution.

11/12/2019

Large demonstrations continue.

11/11/2019

Government agrees to rewrite the constitution, a holdover from the Pinochet era.

10/30/2019

Chile cancels international economic meeting, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in November, and also a UN climate meeting in December, due to the chaos created by the protests. The economic conference, where it was hoped that China and the US could sign the proposed partial resolution of their trade differences, will be rescheduled, as will the climate conference.

10/28/2019

Protests continue, increasingly unruly, with fires and looting.

10/26/2019

Protests are becoming increasingly violent.

10/25/2019

Nearly a million are estimated to have marched demanding Piñera’s resignation. Piñera asks ministers to resign.

10/23/2019

Protests continue. Trade unions call for a general strike.

10/22/2019

Pinera announces immediate increase of 20% in government-subsidized pensions; new catastrophic health insurance, a guaranteed minimum monthly income, the cancellation of a 9% electricity price hike planned for later this year and a cap on future increases, and a new, 40% tax bracket for higher income earners. He also said that government salaries would be reduced and term limits introduced and the number of legislators decreased.

10/21/2019

Pinera offers to meet with protest leaders to forge a “new social contract.”

10/20/2019

The planned subway fare increase is tabled.

10/19/2019

Government declares a state of emergency after riots sparked by a rise in subway fares.

01/30/2019

Court convicts six in the 1982 murder of Eduardo Frei, leader of opposition to Pinochet.

10/01/2018

UN court rules that Chile is not obligated to negotiate a path to the sea with Bolivia. Bolivia lost 250 miles of coastline to Chile in the War in the Pacific (1879-1884).

09/26/2018

Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru and Paraguay, joined by Canada, submit a complaint against Venezuela with the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

12/24/2017

Chile gives Fujimori a medical pardon. Wide protests ensue.

12/17/2017

Sebastián Piñera elected president

In shift to the right, Chileans elect former president Sebastián Piñera with 54% of the vote in the runoff election.

12/17/2017

Sebastian Pinera elected president

In voting for president, Chileans elect former president Sebastián Piñera, a shift to the right, with 54% of the vote in the runoff election.

11/19/2017

Former president Sebastián Piñera of the Chile Vamos coalition, wins 36.6% of the vote in presidential election. He will face Socialist Alejandro Guillier, who won 22.7%, in a run-off on 12/17. Leftist Beatrice Sánchez won just of 20%, a surprise result. A billionaire businessman, Piñera brought together the conservative voters to end two decades of center-left rule. Chile Vamos won the largest single bloc in the Senate, 29 of 124 seats, and the Chamber of Deputies, 180 of 910 seats, but representation is spread widely.

11/19/2017

Former president Sebastián Piñera of the Chile Vamos coalition, wins 36.6% of the vote in presidential election. He will face Socialist Alejandro Guillier, who won 22.7%, in a run-off on 12/17. Leftist Beatrice Sánchez won just of 20%, a surprise result. A billionaire businessman, Piñera brought toget In voting for president, Chileans elect former president Sebastián Piñera, a shift to the right, with 54% of the vote in the runoff election.her the conservative voters to end two decades of center-left rule. Chile Vamos won the largest single bloc in the Senate, 29 of 124 seats, and the Chamber of Deputies, 180 of 910 seats, but representation is spread widely.

11/14/2017

Eleven nations sign the Asia-Americas trade agreement now called the “Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership” (CPTPP). Canada bowed out at the last minute. Canada did not make its objections explicit, but they may relate to internal politics. The signatories are Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.

12/-0001

Constitutional assembly, dominated by right-leaning members, submits new proposals for review by an expert panel. The draft limits the rights of workers to strike, guarantees to swiftly expel undocumented migrants, curbs abortion rights, and includes provisions supporting private pensions, schools, and healthcare systems. Polls show little support for it among voters.