Piñera accused of conflict of interest in Patagonian coal mine approval

Friday, April 22nd 2011 - 04:51 UTC

Full article 15 comments

Leading figures in Chile’s government were caught up in conflict of interest charges this week, with opposition Dep. Enrique Accorsi accusing President Sebastián Piñera and several of his cabinet ministers of “serious conflicts of interest” when they gave a green light to the Mina Invierno coal mine on Isla Riesco. Read full article

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Think
TWIMC

A conservative estimate of just this one “pen stroke” action by the “President of all Chileans” puts the immediate profits for his family in the order of 30-40 million U$S

This is more than double of what the Kirchner family have amassed during their 8 years in power through a variety of accounted business as real estate speculation and development, hotel and tourist infrastructure construction etc etc etc..

But, of course, Piñera’s action can’t be qualified as corruption…. Can it?

Just “Business as Usual”
Apr 22nd, 2011 - 06:13 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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lsolde
lt happens all over the world Cher Think.
Apr 22nd, 2011 - 09:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Think
Don't say!
Apr 22nd, 2011 - 10:24 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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ElaineB
This was a problem waiting to happen. When a billionaire runs for office there must be an argument for giving up all business interests for the duration. But in a country like Chile where the wealth and power is kept very much within the family, I cannot see how it is possible.

As for the Kirchners, the big difference is that they have made almost all of their wealth whilst in office as opposed to Piñera who was a billionaire prior to running for office.

If I have heard one, I have heard a hundred Argentines complaining about the Kirchners making so much money whilst in office. No matter if they support their policies or not.
Apr 22nd, 2011 - 10:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Think
(4) ElaineB

Count me between the millions of Argentines that would wish the Kirschner’s weren’t so “lucky and successful” in business while in office…….

Not that they got a chance of doing otherwise.
Nestor just died working like a horse for his Country…..
Cristina is following his steps, putting 80 to 90 hours a week…………

Anyhow, the aprox. ~14 million U$S personal fortune is perfectly accounted for.

Much more transparently that the aprox. 50 million GB£ that your Ex-Prime Minister Anthony Blair is good for…..

And please spare me the ignominy of telling me….: “Yes but he made that money after living office”….
Apr 22nd, 2011 - 11:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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ElaineB
All Presidents/Prime Ministers work ridiculous hours...it comes with the job. They have the choice not to serve their country and the advantages of the job are many.

Transparent or not I think one has to ask if they would have made the money if they did not have a position of supreme power. That is the area where questions should be asked, I think. And I have yet to meet an Argentine who will tell me face to face that they think it is right for the Kirchners to make so much money in office. Without exception they suspect corruption. Right or wrong that is the perception conveyed to me. Maybe you think differently.

Tony Blair and his wife were a couple of money-grabbing, free-loaders who left the country's finances in the dire state they are now. They were like a couple of spend, spend, spend lottery winners; most unseemly. I can be objective enough to appreciate some of the reforms TB made that are beneficial to the country. But the throwing money around to buy votes without a thought for the generations that must pay back the debt was unforgivable. JMO
Apr 22nd, 2011 - 12:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Think
(6) Elaine

You say:
“Right or wrong that is the perception conveyed to me.”

I say:
You striked me from the begining as a person with the ability to “think”.
or do you “Think” that I have dialogued with you only for the sake of your pretty blue eyes?

Time to form your own South-American perceptions girl...
Anybody can have them “conveyed”...........
Apr 22nd, 2011 - 12:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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ElaineB
I am interested in listening to what people have to say about their own country and respect it even if I don't always agree. For the purpose of this discussion I was passing on the opinions I heard from the many and disparate people I met in Argentina about the Kirchners and their acquired wealth whilst in power. That was all. : )

It is also interesting that some people on this board, that may or may not have visited Argentina, think the people there are afraid to speak out or have an opinion. I have found the Argentine people to be forthright with their opinions on everything.
Apr 22nd, 2011 - 01:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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malen
they have been denounced because of “enriquecimiento a través de tráfico de influencias” but guess who had to investigate??
htpp://www.lanacion.com.ar/1150470-la-venta-de-tierras-es-uno-de-los-circuitos-del-enriquecimiento
i agree with somethings of cristina not this....
Apr 22nd, 2011 - 01:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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GeoffWard
Watch him, Elaine. When an Argentinian who looks nothing like baby-faced Banderas mentions your eyes, it´s time to unhitch you little machete ;-)
Apr 22nd, 2011 - 04:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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ElaineB
I don't know who is who and where they come from : ) I am just looking for discussion.

From the very little I have seen on this board it seems that ex-pats have a far more idealised notion of their country than the people living there. I mean that for all countries. When I travel for months at a time I am inclined to see my own country through rose-coloured glasses. I guess it is only natural.
Apr 22nd, 2011 - 04:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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artillero601
If you are a millonaire , why are you going to waste your time to become president unless for personal gain .... i don't discount that Mr Piñera is a patriot but we live in different times or not??? Is it legacy? Ego? Power?
Apr 23rd, 2011 - 12:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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ElaineB
Oooh good question. # 12 Why would someone with a fortune and potential for an easy life chose the difficult path of politics? There are many ways for a rich person to fulfil their (arguably) moral duty to, say, assist the global poor or raise awareness of one's country, without the need to inhabit the highest political office in the country.

I think ego plays a huge part in it even if Mr. Piñera is alturistic at heart. (I don't know if he is or is not) Or maybe he decided to apply some of his business acumen to improve the economy of his country; thus improving the lives of Chileans.

I still think ego is involved. Who said that 'politics is just showbusiness for ugly people'?
Apr 23rd, 2011 - 03:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Sergio Vega
After read all your comments, why can I say ?
First, no comparison between a gentelman as Mr. Piñera and a thief as Kichner was...The first one had money enough to lend it to the Chilean Gvt. if it were necessary in any moment, obtained with hard work from long years ago and befor he got this new job at the Presidency office. The second one got his fortune from corruption as Santa Cruz Province`s Governor for long term and the as Argentine President for 2 terms (his own and her wife`s own)....
Why Mr. Piñera ran for theoffice ? Of course, he is the one that knows that exactly, but I can assume that beside his ego, he needs new challenges to win,like changing the way of governing that we had during the last 20 years were the politicians got down their relayabitlity as well in the central Gvt. as in the Parliament and Regional authorities....Now, qualified people is taking the positions within the guvermanetal charges and it`s noticeable how they have made improvements in about a year working...
With an incredible earthquake and a world overhaeted economy, Chile`s GDP is growing at over 6 % rates for the first time in 15 years, despite the last that high growth was thank to the good conditions generated duriing the last years of the military Gvt. with Mr. Hernan Buchi as Treassure Minister and lost by Mr. Aninat bad Minister the earlier years of the leftist Concertacion Gvt.
For next year, it`s expected over 6 % growth rate and it`s also expected that befor 2020 we can reach a GDP similar to developed countries (the first in LATAM).
Chile is needing new energy sources, as coal, to reach it future development, so well done Mr. Piñera....
Apr 24th, 2011 - 01:16 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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jerry
#14 - I do not know much about Mr. Piñera, but what you say seems sensible to me. And you have it correct about the Ks in Argentina.
Apr 24th, 2011 - 04:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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