MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile owes “a lot” to Isabel Allende, says Boric

“I have full certainty of her integrity,” Boric underlined

Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font said Friday that his country owed “a lot” to disgraced former Senator Isabel Allende, the daughter of former President Salvador Allende, who died during Augusto Pinochet Ugarte's military uprising on Sept. 11, 1973.

Allende was expelled from the Senate by the Constitutional Court for her involvement in a fudgy deal to sell her father's former residence -which she co-owns- to the State to build up a museum in honor of the deceased Socialist leader. The initiative failed to go through.

Boric praised Isabel Allende’s integrity and contributions to Chile, including her work in democracy restoration, women’s rights, environmental policies, worker protections, and historical memory preservation. He emphasized that she and her family, including her father, remain untarnished universal figures.

In a post on X, Boric stated, “The people of Chile owe a lot to Isabel Allende,” and offered her his “sincere affection and eternal respect” during this difficult time. He also extended solidarity to the Socialist Party, vowing to continue pursuing justice and equality.

While respecting institutional boundaries, Boric personally vouched for her character, asserting she never sought personal gain and always prioritized Chile. “Respecting the institutions as I should, I can affirm that I have full certainty of her integrity”, he said.

The case also highlighted familial political ties, as Isabel is Salvador Allende’s political heir, and her niece, Maya Fernandez, recently left the Defense Ministry over the same issue. Isabel Allende served as a parliamentarian for 31 years, first as a deputy (1994–2010) and then as a senator (2010–2025), reportedly raking in some US$ 3 million in wages.

Isabel is her father's political heir, despite playing a very secondary role in his government. The former president's arm was his daughter Beatriz, who worked in the office on her father's side in La Moneda. Former Defense Minister Maya Fernández is Beatriz's daughter.