Gabriel Boric

president of Chile

Gabriel Borić Font (born 11 February 1986)[2] is a Chilean politician and activist. Boric is the 37th and current President of Chile since 2022. He was a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 2014 until 2022.


Gabriel Boric
Official Portrait, 2022
37th President of Chile
Assumed office
11 March 2022
Preceded bySebastián Piñera
Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile from Magallanes
In office
11 March 2014 – 11 March 2022
Preceded byMiodrag Marinović
Succeeded byJaviera Morales
Constituency60th district (2014–2018)
28th district (2018–2022)
President of the University of Chile Student Federation
In office
19 December 2011 – 28 November 2012
Preceded byCamila Vallejo
Succeeded byAndrés Fielbaum
Personal details
Born
Gabriel Borić Font

(1986-02-11) 11 February 1986 (age 38)
Punta Arenas, Chile
Political partySocial Convergence
Other political
affiliations
Autonomist Movement
Autonomous Left
Domestic partnerIrina Karamanos
(2019–2023)
EducationUniversity of Chile
(no degree)[1]
Signature

During the 2019 civil unrest in Chile, Boric was one of the politicians who helped create a referendum to change the Constitution.[3]

In 2021, he was selected as the presidential candidate of the Apruebo Dignidad coalition. He defeated José Antonio Kast in the second round of the presidential election, winning 55.9% of the votes. He is the youngest president in Chile's history and the second youngest state leader in the world. He is also the first Chilean president born during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.[4][5]

Early life change

Gabriel Borić Font was born in Punta Arenas in 1986. He has two brothers, Simón and Tomás.[6] He moved to Santiago to study at University of Chile's law school in 2004.[7] He failed his law exams and never graduated with a law degree.[8]

Student politics change

In 1999 and 2000, Boric was part of the Federation of Secondary School Students of Punta Arenas.[9] While at university, he joined the Autonomous Left. He was an advisor to the Students' Union of the Law Department in 2008 and became its president in 2009.[10] He also represented students as a university senator from 2010 to 2012.[11]

Member of the Chamber of Deputies change

Boric ran for Deputy in 2013 as an independent candidate to represent District 60. He was elected with 15,418 votes (26.2%), the highest number received by any candidate in the region.[12][13] Boric was mentioned as one of the most popular politicians in Chile according to different opinion polls.[14][15]

In the 2017 general election, Boric ran for re-election as an independent candidate supported by the Humanist Party. He won by 18,626 votes (32.8%).[16]

During his time, he was criticized for not dressing formally.[17][18]

Presidency change

2021 campaign change

Boric was the Apruebo Dignidad nominee for President of Chile in the 2021 election.[19] In November 2021, he advanced to the second round facing José Antonio Kast.[20] He was elected the 37th President a month later on 19 December after winning almost 56% of the vote.[21] He is the youngest president of Chile ever elected.[21] He was inaugurated on 11 March 2022.

Cabinet change

Boric announced the ministers of his cabinet in January 2022.[22] Fourteen out of twenty-four ministers are women, making it the first cabinet in the Americas where more than half of its members are women.[23] He also nominated the first openly LGBT ministers in Chile's history.[24] He also hired Maya Fernández Allende, the granddaughter of former president Salvador Allende, in his cabinet.[23]

Tenure change

 
Boric speaking in March 2022

On his first day, Boric pushed for a law to create a 40-hour working week and increase the minimum wage. Also, he has proposed workers' representatives and gender equality on boards of large companies.[25] He has proposed the creation of a state company for lithium mining, increase the royalties paid by mining companies and protect the environment.[26]

During the first months of government Boric and people working with his government have had threats and physical aggression.[27] In April, Boric was attacked by a man who attempted to throw a stone at him.[28] On May one of Boric's bodyguards was kidnapped and shot in the arm by unknown assailants.[29]

Boric made his first presidential trip in April 2022, to Argentina, where he met with President Alberto Fernández. In Argentina, Boric said that any territorial issues with Argentina would be solved and supported Argentina's rule over the Falkland Islands.[30][31][32]

In April 2022, polling showed that Boric's disapproval rate had passed his approval rate.[33][34] Another poll that same month, found a similar increase in the disapproval of presidency.[35] The rise in disapproval is because of high inflation and violence in Araucanía.[36]

In May 2022, Boric decided to send troops to the southern part of the country, during the rising violence in the Mapuche conflict. Boric lost support from the Communist Party of Chile with this move.[37]

Personal life change

Boric has been open about his mental health issues such as obsessive–compulsive disorder. He took leave from congress for a few weeks after being hospitalized for it in 2018.[38][39] He is known for being a fan of rock and heavy metal music.[40] Boric is known for having visible tattoos and was the first Latin American head of state to have visible tattoos.[41]

Boric started a relationship with anthropologist and sociologist Irina Karamanos in 2019.[42][43] They have a pet dog, called Brownie. They live in Punta Arenas.[44]

Boric and Karamanos announced the end of their relationship in November 2023.[45]

References change

  1. "Boric: "Me faltó el Exámen de Grado y hacer la Memoria."". cnnchile.com on 13 July 2018.
  2. Esparza, Robinson (17 November 2011). "Gabriel Boric: El magallánico que quiere desbancar a Camila Vallejo". El Magallanews.cl, Noticias de Punta Arenas y Magallanes (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  3. pauta. "Tres momentos de una negociación histórica: el acuerdo constitucional un año después". pauta (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  4. Villegas, Alexander (2022-03-11). "Chile's Boric sworn in as president in sharp political shift". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-03-11.
  5. "Gabriel Boric, 36, sworn in as president to herald new era for Chile". the Guardian. 2022-03-11. Retrieved 2022-03-11.
  6. Middleton, Javier (23 December 2021). "Simón y Tomás Boric: ésta es la historia de los hermanos del presidente electo". Theclinic.cl.
  7. "La historia del rival de Camila Vallejo". La Tercera (in Spanish). Grupo Copesa. Archived from the original on 13 December 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  8. "El matrimonio, la materia donde tropezó Boric en su examen de grado". El Mercurio. 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  9. "Gabriel Boric Font – Reseñas Biográficas Parlamentarias". Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 14 July 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  10. Farfán, Claudia; Pozo, Andrés (12 June 2009). "Los verdugos de Nahum". La Tercera (in Spanish). Grupo Copesa. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  11. "Nómina de integrantes históricos del Senado Universitario". University of Chile (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  12. "Elección de Diputados 2013 – Votación Candidatos por Distrito 60". Servicio Electoral de Chile (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  13. F.M (17 November 2013). "Vallejo, Jackson, Boric, Cariola y Fuentes: Las caras del movimiento social y estudiantil que llegan al Congreso". La Tercera (in Spanish). Grupo Copesa. Archived from the original on 18 November 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  14. "Cadem: Guillier acorta distancia con Piñera y Boric es el político mejor evaluado". El Desconcierto (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  15. "Cadem: Boric se convierte en el político mejor evaluado de Chile y Lagos sale del top ten". The Clinic (in Spanish). 2016-07-18. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  16. Figueroa, Juan Pablo; Aninat, Catalina (2018-11-11). "El Frente Amplio que surge tras las fusiones". La Tercera. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  17. "Diputado UDI se quejó por vestimenta de Gabriel Boric en el Congreso". Cooperativa.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  18. "Gabriel Boric: "La ropa no es un tema para mi"". 24Horas.cl (in Spanish). 2014-03-12. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  19. "Two political upstarts notch upset wins in Chile's presidential primaries". Reuters. 2021-07-19. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  20. "Chile Heads Into Polarized Runoff as Old Party System Wilts". Yahoo. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  21. 21.0 21.1 Gabriel Boric, a Former Student Activist, Is Elected Chile’s Youngest President
  22. "Chile president-elect Boric unveils women-majority cabinet". Aljazeera.com. 2022-01-21. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  23. 23.0 23.1 Bartlett, John (2022-01-21). "Chile's president-elect names progressive, majority-women cabinet". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  24. "Marco Antonio Ávila se convierte en el primer profesor abiertamente homosexual en liderar el Ministerio de Educación". Radio Infinita (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  25. "Gabriel Boric: "Proponemos participación de trabajadores en directorios de grandes empresas con paridad de género en su composición"". El Desconcierto (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  26. Restivo, Néstor (2021-12-26). "Cuál es el programa económico de Gabriel Boric para el nuevo Chile | Medidas de transformación estructural del modelo neoliberal". PAGINA12. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  27. Cruzat, Lorena (2022-03-15). "Disparos en visita de ministra Siches a Temucuicui: Investigación queda a cargo del fiscal de Alta Complejidad César Schibar". Emol (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-04-02.
  28. Laborde, Antonia (2022-04-22). "Un hombre lanza una piedra a Gabriel Boric en su primera visita presidencial al norte de Chile". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-05-10.
  29. "Dos hechos de inseguridad alertan al Gobierno de Boric: secuestraron a un chofer de su custodia y asaltaron la casa de la ministra de Defensa". Clarín (in Spanish). 2022-05-14. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  30. Pareja, Paula (3 April 2022). "Boric reafirma su apoyo "de manera clara y decidida" a reivindicación de Argentina sobre las islas Malvinas en antesala de viaje a ese país". La Tercera (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  31. "Fernández y Boric compartieron un concierto y una cena por la hermandad argentino-chilena" (in Spanish). Télam. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  32. "Gabriel Boric: "La hermandad entre Chile y Argentina tiene que ir más allá de las preferencias que tengan sus presidentes"". Infobae (in Spanish). 4 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  33. Martínez, R. (2022-04-18). "Cadem: desaprobación a Boric supera a su aprobación y la inflación se ubica como principal problema económico". Diario Financiero (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  34. "Encuesta Cadem: 50% desaprueba la gestión de Gabriel Boric". Radio Cooperativa (in Spanish). 2022-04-18. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  35. "Encuestas reflejan una rápida desaprobación al Presidente Boric". Pauta (in Spanish). 2022-04-18. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
  36. Reyes, Verónica (2022-05-06). "Expertos coinciden en que alta inflación es algo nuevo para Chile y que agudiza incertidumbre". Radio Bío-Bío (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-05-06.
  37. del Pino, Jose María (17 May 2022). "Conflicto mapuche en Chile: Gabriel Boric envía militares al sur y choca con sus aliados comunistas". Clarín (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  38. Mardones, Carolina. "Boric estará fuera del Congreso por TOC: ¿En qué consiste el trastorno que lo afecta?". Teletrece. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  39. "Boric aseguró haberse sentido estigmatizado en el Congreso por su TOC: "Cuando no hay argumentos, se utilizan insultos"". Meganoticias (in Spanish). 2021-10-07. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  40. "Chile's new president-elect Gabriel Boric is just like us - a huge metalhead who loves Deftones and Rammstein". New Fury Media. 21 December 2021.
  41. Luna, Patricia (2021-12-23). "Chile's tattooed president-elect honors homeland in ink". ABC News. Retrieved 2021-12-30.
  42. "Quién es Irina Karamanos, la pareja de Boric que propuso reformular el cargo de primera dama". Teletrece. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  43. "¿Habrá primera dama en Chile cuando Gabriel Boric asuma el poder en 2022?". El Espectador (in Spanish). 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  44. "Brownie, la mascota de los Boric Font que pasó de la adopción a ser "primer Perro" de Chile". Teletrece. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  45. Boric, Gabriel [@gabrielboric] (2023-11-16). "Irina es una mujer extraordinaria, en todas las dimensiones en que se puede entender a una persona. De una curiosidad infinita por los misterios de la vida porque sobre todo tiene ganas de vivirla. Es generosa como nadie, tenga poco o mucho, siempre va a compartir porque (...)". Retrieved 2023-11-16 – via Instagram.

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