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Chile's Bachelet easily beats rivals for new presidential bid
Former Chilean leader Michelle Bachelet steamed toward another presidential bid on Sunday with a lopsided primary win that prompted her center-left rivals to concede early in the evening and vow to support her in the November election. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesStep one done in fine fashion.
Jul 01st, 2013 - 11:16 am - Link - Report abuse 0The real poll date is November 17th, so please don´t sing victory yet......
Jul 01st, 2013 - 01:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0We expect to have a very tight final in a second round later on December......like tha last election on 2009.
There are almost 5 month to that date, so the campaigns will get louder, harder and more expensive.....Hope the result means the better for us like the last four years....
Sergio,
Jul 01st, 2013 - 01:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I am disappointed, I wanted Allamand.
Longueira will have to move much closer to the center to stand a chance - he is just too conservative.
Comment removed by the editor.
Jul 01st, 2013 - 05:48 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Will she be an opponent of CFK of a friend?
Jul 01st, 2013 - 05:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Will she be friendly to the Falklands or back CFK over flights..
just a thought.
@5 Briton
Jul 01st, 2013 - 06:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Unlike 'hug a hoodie' Dave she will most certainly do what's best for Chile.
@3 Condorito:
Jul 01st, 2013 - 06:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Always enjoy reading your thoughtful posts, so I have to ask: why not Ms Bachelet?
Vote for Bachelet or vote for…..
Jul 01st, 2013 - 07:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Vitacura, Las Condes y Lo Barnechea……
This will be much easier than I ever expected…..
Viva Mami, mierda!
Chuckle chuckle©
PLOP!
7 Heisenberg
Jul 01st, 2013 - 08:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I am not entirely against Mami Bachelet.
We have been very lucky that in the 20 years post Pinochet, the ruling (nominally) centre-left coalition that ruled Chile, never deviated from the Büchi’s (Pinochet era minister) liberal reforms. In fact they pursued his road map with great zeal in many areas and were very prudent in balancing the budget.
3 years ago, Piñera from the center-right assumed control and despite a spluttery start and some gaffs, he has done a splendid job: more growth, more employment, more investment - all by a wide margin. In addition he faced up to social issues that Bachelet ducked: he changed the tax system to put $100s millions more into education and pushed through a reform to stop the military taking 10% of CODELCO's sales which was welcomed even by the thinking left.
So, to answer your question, Bachelet was not bad, she was just less good than Piñera...and if you compare her to the lunatic running the country on the other side of the Andes, she is a godsend.
@9 Exactly! It makes me smile that some Argentinian malcontents cling to Bachelet as if she is a Marxist demigod. She is slightly left of centre as Pinera is slightly right of centre. Both are firmly welded to a free market economy.
Jul 01st, 2013 - 08:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@10 Condorito:
Jul 01st, 2013 - 08:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Thanks - now I understand a bit better. I find her resume and heritage remarkable and her life story is simply astounding. What a life she's led! Our politicians seem monochromatic by comparison.
11 Heisenberg:
Jul 01st, 2013 - 08:37 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You're welcome. Mami is not alone in her remarkable life story. She is one of a generation of politicians who were either tortured, had their parents killed, or both. The most admirable aspect of Chilean political leadership of the last two decades has been the priority of pragmatism over vindictiveness.
As Abraham Lincoln said:
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.”
TWIMC
Jul 01st, 2013 - 08:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0As I said on these pages over one year ago……:
”17/11/13
Michelle, Pres.cl
Camila Amaranta, Mineduc.cl”
http://en.mercopress.com/2012/04/12/k-day-for-the-future-of-ypf-shares-in-buenos-aires-and-new-york-plunge#comment112560....:
Call me a Dreamer....... ;-)))
13 Think:
Jul 01st, 2013 - 10:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Backing a dead cert hot favorite doesn't make you a dreamer...
backing a red hot Red favorite does.
Given that Ms Bachelet had an approval rate over 80% when she left office, it would not take a visionary to predict her return. She did address some of the social inequalities but she neglected business causing the economy to stagnate. Pinera used his business acumen to address the problem whilst still having an eye to social inclusion.
Jul 02nd, 2013 - 02:18 am - Link - Report abuse 0I am, and have stated here many time, a huge admirer of Ms Bachelet. She is a great role model for women unlike the crazy, mentally unstable woman failing miserably as president of Argentina.
Talking to folks here in Chile, I think it will be a close run election.
I get a good feeling from Bachelet and from Chile. I think they are going to keep to a center, oscillating center right and center left.
Jul 02nd, 2013 - 05:01 am - Link - Report abuse 0Coming from a perspective of ignorance where this woman is concerned, is she likely to be a positive, negative or indifferent influence on the Falkland Islanders?
Jul 02nd, 2013 - 07:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0She didn't do anything to help the Kirchners during her last presidency.
Jul 02nd, 2013 - 12:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0(12) Condorito
Jul 02nd, 2013 - 04:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You say...:
“The most admirable aspect of Chilean political leadership of the last two decades has been the priority of pragmatism over vindictiveness.”
In the same spirit I must say....:
The most admirable aspect of Argentinean political leadership of the last decade has been the priority of justice over pragmatism.
The classic oxymoron; Argentine 'leasership' and the 'priority of justice'.
Jul 02nd, 2013 - 04:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The next one will be TMBOA and honesty. Ha, ha, ha.
I should keep out of the microstill, it looks to me like you are drinking the profits.
Justice means judgement. Not the most awesome.
Jul 02nd, 2013 - 06:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Anyway, does anyone know the median wage of Chile compared to Argentina? I can find average gross salary of Chile.and average net salary of Argentina, but idk if this accounts for Chileans working more days.
I think the discussion about equality is sometimes a distraction, seeing as places like Afghanistan (and prolly North Korea, they have no data) have the most.
I
@19
Jul 02nd, 2013 - 06:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“has been the priority of justice over pragmatism.”
And now nobody has toilet paper.
Are the Argentines going to get any justice for CFK & her people pilfering the Argentine coffers? Or is that just not feasible, not workable, not pragmatic? Pragmatism over justice.
19 Think
Jul 02nd, 2013 - 08:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0With so many of you guilty of so many crimes, more justice is only pragmatic ;)
(23) Condorito
Jul 02nd, 2013 - 09:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0So very true, my Shilean hermanito.......
With so many of us guilty of so many crimes....., more justice is not only pragmatic...., but fundamental.
21
Jul 02nd, 2013 - 09:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Chileans can convert their money into any currency. They can use their money abroad without paying some 30 percent in fees/taxes to withdraw abroad, filling out paperwork, running a risk of being denied altogether, and be limited to 100 dollars a day. Chileans can invest, spend, convert as they please, and they pay far less tax even if they lived the way Cristina wants her slaves to live.
Not to mention how insanely expensive Argentina has become, and the fact that imports are more expensive in Argentina than anywhere else in the world.
Really there's no comparison, if Argies and Chileans are making the exact same amount (they're not, Chileans make more) Argies have to pay between 30 to 200 percent more to afford the same life and material goods.
@ 21 Ayayay:
Jul 03rd, 2013 - 01:16 am - Link - Report abuse 0“Anyway, does anyone know the median wage of Chile compared to Argentina?”
Salaries are almost equal. Depending on if you consider official and fixed argentine currency exchange, its higher in Arg, and if you consider the free market blue dollar, its lower than the median Chilean average.
According an article I found from 2012, it's 390.000 pesos in Chile, which is about 800 dolars a month. Average household income is about 770.000 pesos, about 1600 dolars a month.
http://www.santiagotimes.cl/business/economy-a-trade/25505-chiles-average-salary-increases-84-percent-in-2011
In Argentina, the median wage is 5300 ARS.
http://www.santiagotimes.cl/business/economy-a-trade/25505-chiles-average-salary-increases-84-percent-in-2011
Eventhough... you must consider the life costs in Argentina are exploding at the moment, so I assume life has become more expensive in Argentina than in Chile.
Britworker- She will make little difference to Chile,s policy over the Falklands.
Jul 03rd, 2013 - 01:52 am - Link - Report abuse 0Chile,s policy is simple- Chile is happy doing business with and trading and having links with the Falklands and recognizes de facto the existence of its Govt and people- as do the great majority of Chilean people. Chile is also a long term friend of UK and many Chileans regard themselves as the “Brits” of S America.
But any Chilean Govt will quietly tell you - please look at the map. With a 5000km plus border with a country led by a lunatic- for the sake of peace and quiet and a hassle free day - we have to humour them a bit for now.
We understand their reality here dont worry!
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