Nadie sabe para quién trabaja: Gobierno invoca ley que surgió por el “Kiotazo” contra Piñera

It seems that there is never a dull moment in Chilean politics. Today, we have learned that the government has invoked a law that was created as a result of a massive fraud scandal, known as the “Kiotazo,” which brought down former President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle in the late 1990s. The law, which enables the authorities to investigate public officials suspected of corruption, has now been invoked against current President Sebastián Piñera.

According to reports, Piñera’s son, Cristóbal, is being investigated for alleged corruption related to a business deal between his company and a company owned by a close friend of the president. The deal reportedly involved the purchase of land in Machalí, in the O’Higgins Region, with the intent of building a factory. The investigation is still underway, and no charges have been filed yet.

The use of the Kiotazo law is surprising, given that it was originally created to investigate politicians suspected of embezzling public funds, rather than individuals suspected of corruption in the private sector. However, given the scale of corruption scandals in Chile over the past few years, it is not entirely unexpected.

This latest scandal will undoubtedly further damage Piñera’s already rocky reputation, as the President has been struggling to contain the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, and to address the widespread social unrest that has gripped the country in recent years. It is also a reminder that corruption remains a significant problem in Chile, and that the public has a right to demand greater transparency and accountability from their elected officials.