MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Boric reaches South Pole

“From here everything is north,” Boric said

Chile's President Gabriel Boric Font Friday became the first Latin American leader and the third worldwide to reach the South Pole, thus consolidating his country's commitment to Antarctica. His feat followed in the footsteps of those authorities from New Zealand in 2007 and Norway in 2011. Boric dubbed his trip “a diplomatic, scientific, environmental and aeronautical milestone.” It also Chile as “the gateway to Antarctica,” he said.

The journey had been announced last year but could not be completed due to foul weather. In the end, Boric flew from Santiago to Punta Arenas on Thursday to start the mission.

Operation Polar Star III was categorized as a diplomatic, scientific, environmental, and aeronautical milestone for Chile, which consolidated the country before the world as the gateway to Antarctica. Chile's role is crucial for international scientific research and to better face challenges such as climate change, it was underlined.

Together with his entourage, “we strengthen Chile's leadership to maintain Antarctica as a continent of science and peace!” Boric stressed.

“It is an honor and a source of pride to be here with the capabilities of the Chilean State, in coordination with different institutions of the world, starting with our own,” Boric told Chilean media.

”The Army, the Navy, the FACh that coordinated the whole trip, the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH), the State of Chile, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Environment,“ he added.

”The first time that a Chilean president arrives at the South Pole“ proves ”Chile's Antarctic vocation,“ Boric also argued.

”From here everything is north. There are only 12 flags flying, one of them is the Chilean flag. That is a source of pride and it seems to us that it is important to be present here, to know what is being done at this base and also to do science,“ he also said. ”It is a source of pride“.

”I am very proud of this trip and we are also establishing international relations. Being able to be here (...) is a luxury,“ he insisted.

”At a time when the situation is so dizzying, when there seems to be so much disrespect for international treaties, we have come to vindicate our multilateral vocation, our vocation for peace, our convictions in science, our vision of the State (...) it is a source of pride”.