President Gabriel Boric held a tense exchange with leaders of the neighborhood council of the Silva Henríquez population in Punta Arenas. The discussion arose when community leaders expressed to the President the perception that foreigners receive privileges in accessing state aid, especially in housing issues.
The incident took place before the ceremony to hand over land for the future Magallanes Regional Library and Archive, which will be located in the former local penitentiary, an event attended by organizations expressing various environmental and social concerns.
During the discussion, the local leaders raised their concerns to President Boric about water pollution in the area, linking it to the nearby water intakes where a significant part of the foreign population resides.
“I’m going to go there as a surprise to see what’s happening,” the Head of State promised the neighbors, showing a willingness to address local problems. However, tension increased when complaints led to direct accusations about supposed advantages for foreigners in access to housing.
“If we Chileans go to their country, will they give us the guarantees they have? They have a house, health care, everything for free,” questioned a resident, triggering a firm response from Gabriel Boric: “I’m not going to accept that. “Nobody is being given anything out of nowhere.”
The President challenged the women to present concrete cases to support such claims: “Show me a case, name and surname, and I will verify that case.” When pressed, he reiterated that the myth that foreigners receive free housing because of their status is unfounded.
“Don’t tell me ‘I have people,’ ma’am, tell me a case,” Boric urged, emphasizing the need to confront real problems and address them as a state. Ultimately, the dialogue resulted in agreements on how to proceed with respect to the demands raised by the neighborhood leaders, reflecting an attempt to find consensual solutions to local problems.
