The national president of Evópoli, Juan Manuel Santa Cruz, toured yesterday the communes of San Carlos, Quirihue and Trehuaco, on a tour marked by the programmatic work of the party, and its territorial deployment for the next elections.
Santa Cruz, who a few years ago was a candidate for deputy for District 19, spoke with the discussion about Evópoli’s strategy in support of Evelyn Matthei’s candidacy, the future of the Chile Vamos Pact Covenant and the parliamentary scenario in Ñuble.
“We care to build a project for the country from regions such as Ñuble. In San Carlos we carry out a conversation about security, but also on how to harmonize development with environmental care, listening to neighbors and farmers,” he said.
– Is this programmatic work also linked to Evelyn Matthei’s candidacy?
– That’s how it is. This work is a key contribution of Evópoli to the candidacy of Evelyn Matthei. We want to build a proposal for Chile from the territory.
– What topics do Evópoli want to be in Evelyn Matthei’s program?
– There are four fundamental pillars: security; education and childhood; employment and growth. In security, we value that today it is a transversely discussed issue. But we also care about bullying figures and childhood mental health. A country with young people without opportunities or purpose is a country vulnerable to drug trafficking and low productivity. That is why we want medium and long term policies, even if they are not popular, because children and young people do not vote.
– How do the candidacy of Evelyn Matthei evaluate against the appearance of new presidential options on the Right?
– Evelyn has strong leadership, based on political experience and connection with citizen emergencies. That is reflected in all surveys, where it surpasses both leftist candidates and the extreme right. But we are not confident. We are attentive to the appearance of new candidacies and what the left does, which although today is disorderly, has a capacity for convergence. The task is to continue connected to citizens.
– What would happen if in the “New Right” there was only one candidacy (Kast or Kaiser)? Would Matthei’s option complicated to reach second round?
– We would have a more competitive first round, no doubt. But all the scenarios that have raised the surveys continue to show Evelyn Matthei as the winner. This choice is played in future issues: security, employment, education. That’s where Evelyn connects to what people need.
– Evelyn Matthei has had some controversial statements, for example, about the coup d’etat. How does Evópoli handle these differences within the covenant?
– It unites us the goal of getting Chile from stagnation. Regarding the statements about the coup, she herself published a video condemning deaths and violations of human rights. That is the Evelyn Matthei with which we work: clear in its unrestricted respect for democracy, unlike other sectors that are not so clear in their position against Cuba or Venezuela.
– Chile are we evaluating a broad parliamentary electoral pact, which includes Democrats and/or yellow?
– Yes. Today it is difficult to govern with a fragmented congress. Unite with political forces on issues such as security, employment or education is key. That is why we are talking with Democrats and yellow to achieve a parliamentary pact that allows a good government for Chile.
– In that context, could Evópoli give quotas in Ñuble to enter other forces, such as Democrats, who would be in the sight of the former deputy, Jorge Sabag?
– That is an issue that is still in conversation. In this visit we are also raising local leaderships that represent well to the territory, such as Mayor Eduardo Redich, from Quirihue. But of course, the district has six quotas and you have to distribute them. I’m not going to anticipate, because that could make agreements difficult.
– Do the names that could apply by Evópoli defined in District 19 defined?
– I will not reveal them yet for the same reason. They are open conversations and do not want to harm anyone for appearing early in the press.
– Are they open to independent candidacies under Evópoli’s eaves?
– Yes, totally. We want candidates who represent well with local reality and that are competitive. The best bench for Evelyn Matthei is the best bench for Chile, and that can include independent if they meet those principles.
