MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Grau becomes Chile's new Finance Minister

“Our economy can generate more quality jobs,” Grau insisted

Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font on Thursday appointed Nicolás Grau, previously the Economy Minister, as the new Minister of Finance, following Mario Marcel's resignation earlier in the day. Meanwhile, Álvaro García was chosen to replace Grau. Ignacia Fernández, former Undersecretary of Agriculture, took over as Minister of Agriculture in lieu of Esteban Valenzuela.

In his first speech, Grau emphasized a commitment to “fiscal responsibility” and said he would continue the work of his predecessor. He also highlighted the challenge of creating more and better jobs, particularly for women.

García is a former Secretary of State in the governments of Eduardo Frei and Ricardo Lagos.

Fernández had left Boric's government recently to join former Interior Minister Carolina Tohá's unsuccessful presidential bid. Tohá and Marcel have admitted to be romantically involved.

“Our main challenge is fiscal responsibility,” Grau explained, while noting that he was “very honored to take on this important responsibility, and I am full of energy and ready to carry out the task entrusted to me.”

He also pledged “to contain spending, improve institutions, and ensure public finances that allow for balanced, long-term development in the country.”

“Our economy can generate more quality jobs and, in this way, lower unemployment, specifically in some very relevant sectors of the population, such as female unemployment. And to that end, we are going to work harder and more intensely than we have done so far,” he also pointed out.