MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lagos' one year in office

In spite of ample public opinion support, (over 50%), Chilean president Ricardo Lagos who this week completed one year in office, is still far from solving two of the countries most pressing problems, unemployment and human rights.

Unemployment has remained almost stable at a national average of 8,4% and gone with the wind are the promises to create 200.000 new jobs in the first year of the first Socialist administration since Salvador Allende was deposed in 1973.

However the economy overall has done quiet well: the budget is under control, growth reached 5% and is expected to average 4,5/5% in 2001, inflation 4%, and Chile is once again the show case of the region.

Government blames oil prices for most of its unachieved 2000 economic goals and has warned that the first half of 2001 will be tough as a direct consequence of the slower growth of its main trade partners, United States, Japan and Mercosur.

Regarding human rights, Mr. Lagos administration inherited the Pinochet case which inevitably set the pace of Chile's political agenda during the whole year.

Although imprisoned by the former dictator, Socialist Mr. Lagos has been inflexible: Justice must decide on Mr. Pinochet's situation, and so it has been. The Senator for life was stripped of his legislative privileges and is now under house arrest.

But the controversy over Mr. Pinochet and the whole human rights issue prevented Congress from other tasks that are vital for Chile's future: reforming the current Constitution drafted under Mr. Pinochet's regime and new labor legislation