MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Former Deputy Health Minister to handle Chile's sanitary transition

Daza will handle the presidential transition from the COVID-19 angle

The Chilean Government of President Sebastián Piñera Tuesday announced the return to active duty of former Deputy Health Minister Paula Daza, who will now be in charge of handling the transition to the new administration of President-elect Gabriel Boric from a sanitary point of view focused mainly on COVID-19.

Daza, whose face and voice had been largely associated with every new restriction, vaccination mandate, and lockdown imposed under Piñera to fight the coronavirus pandemic, had filed for unpaid leave to support Conservative candidate José Antonio Kast. Since she was denied that request, she simply resigned from Piñera's government, but the head of state is known for wanting her on his team.

According to some analysts, Daza was just another nail on the die-hard Pinochetist Kast's electoral coffin because she was the face and voice of confinement.

Daza will now be in charge of “standardizing the handover to the new government” of all the work that has been done in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. She will also be involved in securing a supply of vaccines for the medium term.

Interior Minister Rodrigo Delgado highlighted Daza's background and her role in the handling of the pandemic by the Piñera administration.

Daza's former job as Deputy Health Minister has been entrusted to María Teresa Valenzuela.