President Piñera signs bill to allow the Armed Forces to cooperate in the protection of key infrastructure
The initiative, which will be debated with maximum urgency in Congress today, will authorize the Armed Forces to protect public services like hospitals, drinking water plants, telecommunications systems, etc., without the need to decree a State of Emergency under the Constitution. The president emphasized that this deployment will not mean any restriction of people's rights and freedoms.
On Tuesday, President Sebastián Piñera signed the bill to allow Armed Forces to protect key infrastructure without the need for a State of Emergency under the Constitution; this will release a significant number of Carabineros (uniformed police) to safeguard public order and protect people's security.
The objective is to safeguard infrastructure like power plants and transmission lines, drinking water plants, telecommunications systems, hospitals, ports and airports, etc.
“This key infrastructure that is essential for the lives of millions and millions of Chileans and for everyday life in the country,” said the President, who was accompanied by Interior Minister Gonzalo Blumel and Defense Minister Alberto Espina.
President Piñera emphasized that the Armed Forces will not take part in maintaining public order and that their presence will not mean any restriction of Chileans' rights and freedoms.
He also announced that in the coming days a plan for reconstruction of the destruction that has occurred during the last few weeks will be sent to Congress, as well as a plan to reinvigorate the economy, which will seek to recover the ability to grow, create jobs, improve salaries and create opportunities for SMEs.
“In this way we will enable our economy to get back on its feet and recover its course towards progress and development,” he added.