The former gubernatorial candidate said he felt disappointed and disconcerted by the decision of the opposition bloc. In addition, he called on the conglomerate and Republicans to work for a name of unity in the region.
The decision of Chile Vamos to support the candidacy of the general secretary of the UDI, Maria Jose Hoffmannto the regional government of Valparaíso and the lowering of Luis Pardo (RN) unleashed a series of splinters in the opposition bloc.
Lawyer Ruggero Cozzi decided to resign from the vice presidency of Renovación Nacional (RN) and the last session of the party’s political commission was marked by complaints against the board, led by the senator Rodrigo Galilea.
Speaking to CNN Chile, Pardo said he feels “disappointed” by the party’s decision. “What the party president told me, when he told me of the decision, was that the entire Chile Vamos pact was on hold due to pressure being exerted by the UDI to resolve the Fifth Region in favor of its general secretary,” said the former deputy.
“This did not surprise me on the same day, because there was already a situation that had been brewing over time. But, finally, the president of the party decides, for the sake of unity, to give in on this point. That is when he tells me that he is no longer the National Renewal candidate,” he added.
Luis Pardo expressed that he felt “a disappointment, a very great confusion. Disappointment, because he expected stronger support from the national board. And confusion, because a party that has five parliamentarians, mayors, councilors, regional councilors and a very active militancy in Valparaíso, it is not understandable that it does not take into account the opinion of the region in a decision like this.”
“What is happening and the situation in which our region is being left is unacceptable. I speak as an activist and citizen of this region (…). We have a truly deplorable management of the regional governor in office. His greatest achievement is having 100% budget execution. Today we know that this is because he generously transferred resources to foundations (…). We had a serious chance of winning the Fifth Region, but after my candidacy was withdrawn, there are three right-wing candidates, where we should have had only one,” he said.
Asked about the RN surveys, where he did not perform well, the former director of the Libertad Institute said that “María José Hoffmann had a very high level of rejection. I have a very low level of rejection (…). If we compare all the surveys, there are notable differences. I have a lower level of knowledge than her, and she had more rejection.”
“I want to make a call to Chile Vamos Republicans. They are not aware of the cost to the image and electoral effectiveness of the disorder and confusion of having three candidates (…). At least in the regions where we have certain options, both Republicans and Chile Vamos have a single candidate. Of course I will stand behind that candidate, if he is from the Republicans,” he said.
The former candidate for governor of Valparaíso insisted that he will stand “behind the unity candidate” of the sector. “The reaction that has occurred shows that this was a bad decision (…). I would like the directives to take note of this situation,” he noted.
“The candidacy of María José Hoffmann is a candidacy that was born very badly, both in the form and in what it is causing. And it is not her problem, I do not want to get into personal disputes,” Luis Pardo emphasized.
The former deputy argued that he found it “inappropriate to seal the candidacy for governor without primaries.” He added that if the board reconsiders its decision, “he could be a candidate again.”
“When decisions are bad, they can be corrected,” said Pardo, who received the support of multiple RN militants.
