Editing History of Chile (section)

==Transition to democracy (1990–)==
{{Main|Chilean transition to democracy}}
[[File:Celebración tras victoria del No en plebiscito de 1988 2.jpg|thumb|"No" supporters celebrate their victory in the [[1988 Chilean presidential referendum|1988 referendum]]]]
=== Aylwin, Frei, and Lagos ===
Chileans elected a new president and the majority of members of a two-chamber congress on December 14, 1989. Christian Democrat [[Patricio Aylwin]], the candidate of a coalition of 17 political parties called the ''[[Coalition of Parties for Democracy|Concertación]]'', received an absolute majority of votes (55%).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Christian |first1=Shirley |title=Man in the News: Patricio Aylwin; A Moderate Leads Chile |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/16/world/man-in-the-news-patricio-aylwin-a-moderate-leads-chile.html |work=The New York Times |date=16 December 1989 }}</ref> President Aylwin served from 1990 to 1994, in what was considered a transition period. In February 1991 Aylwin created the [[National Commission for Truth and Reconciliation]], which released in February 1991 the [[Rettig Report]] on human rights violations committed during the military rule.

This report counted 2,279 cases of "[[forced disappearance|disappearances]]" which could be proved and registered. Of course, the very nature of "disappearances" made such investigations very difficult. The same problem arose, several years later, with the [[Valech Report]], released in 2004 and which counted almost 30,000 victims of [[torture]], among testimonies from 35,000 persons.

In December 1993, Christian Democrat [[Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle]], the son of previous president [[Eduardo Frei Montalva]], led the Concertación coalition to victory with an absolute majority of votes (58%).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-8257609.html|title=Chile elects new leader Late president's son wins big|access-date=2008-05-02|archive-date=2008-05-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080526090105/http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-8257609.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Frei Ruiz-Tagle was succeeded in 2000 by Socialist [[Ricardo Lagos]], who won the presidency in an unprecedented [[runoff election]] against [[Joaquín Lavín]] of the rightist [[Alliance for Chile]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/01/17/chile.elex.01/ |title=Moderate socialist Lagos wins Chilean presidential election |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=January 16, 2000 |access-date=2008-05-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506162601/http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/01/17/chile.elex.01/ |archive-date=May 6, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> by a very tight score of fewer than 200,000 votes (51,32%).

In 1998, Pinochet travelled to London for back surgery. But under orders of Spanish judge [[Baltasar Garzón]], he was [[Augusto Pinochet's arrest and trial|arrested there]], attracting worldwide attention, not only because of the history of Chile and South America, but also because this was one of the first arrests of a former president based on the [[universal jurisdiction]] principle. Pinochet tried to defend himself by referring to the [[State Immunity Act of 1978]], an argument rejected by the British justice. However, [[UK Home Secretary]] [[Jack Straw]] took the responsibility to release him on medical grounds, and refused to extradite him to Spain. Thereafter, Pinochet returned to Chile in March 2000. Upon descending the plane on his wheelchair, he stood up and saluted the cheering crowd of supporters, including an army band playing his favorite military march tunes, which was awaiting him at the airport in Santiago. President [[Ricardo Lagos]] later commented that the retired general's televised arrival had damaged the image of Chile, while thousands demonstrated against him.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/665342.stm|title=Thousands march against Pinochet|date=March 4, 2000|work=[[BBC News]]|location=London, UK|access-date=2008-05-02|archive-date=2004-05-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040526083212/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/665342.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Bachelet and Piñera ===
[[File:Five Chilean presidents between 1990 and 2022.jpg|thumb|Five presidents of Chile since [[Chilean transition to democracy|Transition to democracy]] (1990–2022), celebrating the [[Bicentennial of Chile]]]]
The ''Concertación'' coalition has continued to dominate Chilean politics for last two decades. In January 2006 Chileans elected their first female president, [[Michelle Bachelet]], of the Socialist Party.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna10819903|title=Chile elects first woman president|date=12 January 2006 |publisher=[[NBC News]]|access-date=2008-05-02|archive-date=2013-11-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109023348/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/10819903/|url-status=live}}</ref> She was sworn in on March 11, 2006, extending the ''Concertación'' coalition governance for another four years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/11/AR2006031101381.html|title=Bachelet Sworn In As Chile's President|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=2008-05-02|first=Monte|last=Reel|date=March 12, 2006|archive-date=2017-07-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701225835/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/11/AR2006031101381.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2002 Chile signed an association agreement with the [[European Union]] (comprising a free trade agreement and political and cultural agreements), in 2003, an extensive free trade agreement with the United States, and in 2004 with [[South Korea]], expecting a boom in import and export of local produce and becoming a regional trade-hub. Continuing the coalition's free trade strategy, in August 2006 President Bachelet promulgated a [[free trade agreement]] with [[China]] (signed under the previous administration of Ricardo Lagos), the first Chinese free trade agreement with a Latin American nation; similar deals with Japan and India were promulgated in August 2007. In October 2006, Bachelet promulgated a multilateral trade deal with New Zealand, [[Singapore]] and [[Brunei]], the [[Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership]] (P4), also signed under Lagos' presidency. Regionally, she has signed bilateral free trade agreements with [[Panama]], [[Peru]] and [[Colombia]].

After 20 years, Chile went in a new direction with the win of center-right [[Sebastián Piñera]],<ref name="servel">{{Cite web |url=http://www.servel.cl/servel/Controls/Neochannels/Neo_CH397/Deploy/cronograma_2009.pdf |title=Cronograma Electoral |access-date=2013-03-14 |archive-date=2011-06-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617112708/http://www.servel.cl/servel/Controls/Neochannels/Neo_CH397/Deploy/cronograma_2009.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=New Chilean President Sworn In, Faces Reconstruction Challenges |url=https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/mi/country-industry-forecasting.html?id=106594482 |work=www.spglobal.com |access-date=2022-11-29 |archive-date=2022-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129124839/https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/mi/country-industry-forecasting.html?id=106594482 |url-status=live }}</ref> in the [[2009–10 Chilean presidential election|Chilean presidential election of 2009–2010]], defeating former President [[Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle|Eduardo Frei]] in the runoff.<ref>{{cite news |title=Billionaire wins Chile election |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8464136.stm |date=17 January 2010 |access-date=29 November 2022 |archive-date=29 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129124840/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8464136.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 27 February 2010, Chile was struck by an 8.8 M<sub>W</sub> [[2010 Chile earthquake|earthquake]], the fifth largest ever recorded at the time. More than 500 people died (most from the ensuing [[tsunami]]) and over a million people lost their homes. The earthquake was also followed by multiple aftershocks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.australia-times.com.au/world/article.php?id=501|title=US ready to help Chile: Obama|publisher=The Australia Times|access-date=3 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427081917/http://www.australia-times.com.au/world/article.php?id=501|archive-date=27 April 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Initial damage estimates were in the range of US$15–30 billion, around 10 to 15 percent of Chile's real gross domestic product.<ref>[http://www.contractmagazine.com/contract/content_display/design/news/e3i128fcc3d3e64156a013dfae605b73a5b More Quakes Shake Chile’s Infrastructure], Adam Figman, ''Contract Magazine'', 1 March 2010 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114030306/http://www.contractmagazine.com/contract/content_display/design/news/e3i128fcc3d3e64156a013dfae605b73a5b |date=November 14, 2014 }}</ref>

Chile achieved global recognition for the successful [[2010 Copiapó mining accident|rescue of 33 trapped miners]] in 2010. On 5 August 2010, the access tunnel collapsed at the San José copper and gold mine in the [[Atacama Desert]] near [[Copiapó]] in northern Chile, trapping 33 men {{convert|700|m}} below ground. A rescue effort organized by the Chilean government located the miners 17 days later. All 33 men were brought to the surface two months later on 13 October 2010 over a period of almost 24 hours, an effort that was carried on live television around the world.<ref name="usstatedep">{{cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1981.htm|title=Background Note: Chile|work=[[Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs]], [[United States Department of State]]|date=16 December 2011|access-date=19 March 2012|archive-date=21 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121153101/https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1981.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Despite good macroeconomic indicators, there was increased social  dissatisfaction, focused on demands for better and fairer education, culminating in  [[2011–13 Chilean student protests|massive protests]] demanding more democratic and equitable institutions. Approval of Piñera's administration fell irrevocably.

In 2013, Bachelet, a Social Democrat, was elected again as president,<ref>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=Chile's once and future president, Michelle Bachelet, wins runoff election |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/15/chile-president-michelle-bachelet-wins-election |work=the Guardian |date=15 December 2013 |language=en |access-date=16 August 2022 |archive-date=16 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216042904/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/15/chile-president-michelle-bachelet-wins-election |url-status=live }}</ref> seeking to make the structural changes claimed in recent years by the society relative to [[Education in Chile|education reform]], [[Economy of Chile|tributary reform]], [[Recognition of same-sex unions in Chile|same sex civil union]], and definitely end the [[Binomial System]], looking to further equality and the end of what remains of the dictatorship. In 2015 a series of corruption scandals (most notably [[Penta case]] and [[Caval case]]) became public, threatening the credibility of the political and business class.

On 17 December 2017, [[Sebastián Piñera]]<ref name="servel"/> was elected president of Chile for a second term. He received 36% of the votes, the highest percentage among all 8 candidates. In the second round, Piñera faced [[Alejandro Guillier]], a television news anchor who represented Bachelet's New Majority (Nueva Mayoría) coalition. Piñera won the elections with 54% of the votes.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sebastián Piñera wins Chile's presidential election |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/17/chileans-cast-their-ballot-in-decisive-presidential-runoff |work=the Guardian |date=17 December 2017 |language=en |access-date=16 August 2022 |archive-date=16 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816115833/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/17/chileans-cast-their-ballot-in-decisive-presidential-runoff |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== ''Estallido Social'' and Constitutional Referendum ===
In October 2019 there were [[2019 Chilean protests|violent protests about costs of living and inequality]],<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/10/20/fire-kills-three-ransacked-chile-supermarket-protests-intensify/| title = Fire kills three in ransacked Chile supermarket as protests intensify| newspaper = The Telegraph| date = 20 October 2019| last1 = Larsson| first1 = Naomi| access-date = 20 October 2019| archive-date = 20 October 2019| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191020150605/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/10/20/fire-kills-three-ransacked-chile-supermarket-protests-intensify/| url-status = live}}</ref> resulting in Piñera declaring a [[state of emergency]].<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-chile-protests/chiles-pinera-extends-state-of-emergency-says-we-are-at-war-idUSKBN1WZ0EP| title = Reuters| website = [[Reuters]]| date = 20 October 2019| access-date = 23 October 2019| archive-date = 21 October 2019| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191021130018/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-chile-protests/chiles-pinera-extends-state-of-emergency-says-we-are-at-war-idUSKBN1WZ0EP| url-status = live}}</ref> On 15 November, most of the political parties represented in the National Congress signed an agreement to call a [[2020 Chilean national referendum|national referendum]] in April 2020 regarding the creation of a new Constitution.<ref>{{cite news |title=One month on: Protests in Chile persist despite gov't concessions |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/month-protests-chile-persist-gov-concessions-191118231609475.html |work=Al Jazeera |date=19 November 2019 |author=Sandra Cuffe |access-date=10 March 2020 |archive-date=17 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317120559/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/month-protests-chile-persist-gov-concessions-191118231609475.html |url-status=live }}</ref> But the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] postponed the date of the elections, while Chile was one of the hardest hit nations in the Americas as of May 2020. On October 25, 2020, Chileans voted 78.28 per cent in favor of a [[2021 Chilean Constitutional Convention election|new constitution]], while 21.72 per cent rejected the change. Voter turnout was 51 per cent. A second vote was held on April 11, 2021, to select 155 Chileans who form the convention which will draft the new constitution.<ref name="npr927859270">{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/10/26/927859270/chile-celebrates-voters-decision-to-scrap-constitution-start-over|title=Chile celebrates decision to rewrite constitution|website=NPR|author=Bill Chappell|date=26 October 2020|access-date=27 October 2020|archive-date=12 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212030345/https://www.npr.org/2020/10/26/927859270/chile-celebrates-voters-decision-to-scrap-constitution-start-over|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-54687090|title=Jubilation as Chile votes to rewrite constitution|date=26 October 2020|work=BBC|access-date=6 November 2020|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102082639/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-54687090|archive-date=2 November 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 19 December 2021, leftist candidate, the 35-year-old former student protest leader, [[Gabriel Boric]], won Chile's presidential [[2021 Chilean general election|election]] to become the country's youngest ever leader, after the most polarizing election since democracy was restored, defeating right wing pinochetist and leader of the [[Republican Party (Chile, 2019)|Chilean Republican Party]] [[José Antonio Kast]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Leftist Gabriel Boric to become Chile's youngest ever president |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-59715941 |work=BBC News |date=20 December 2021 |access-date=21 December 2021 |archive-date=20 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220000309/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-59715941 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Montes|first=Federico Rivas Molina, Rocío|date=2021-11-19|title=Chile cierra la campaña de las elecciones más polarizadas de su historia|url=https://elpais.com/internacional/2021-11-19/chile-cierra-la-campana-de-las-elecciones-mas-polarizadas-de-su-historia.html|access-date=2021-12-24|website=El País|language=es|archive-date=2021-12-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224203040/https://elpais.com/internacional/2021-11-19/chile-cierra-la-campana-de-las-elecciones-mas-polarizadas-de-su-historia.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The center-left and center-right political conglomerates alternating power during the last 32 years (ex-[[Concertación]] and [[Chile Vamos]]) ended up in fourth and fifth place of the presidential election.

=== Gabriel Boric presidency (2022- ) ===

On 11 March 2022,  Gabriel Boric was sworn in as president to succeed outgoing President Sebastian Pinera.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gabriel Boric, 36, sworn in as president to herald new era for Chile |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/11/gabriel-boric-chile-president-new-era |work=The Guardian |date=11 March 2022 |language=en |access-date=15 March 2022 |archive-date=12 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312233147/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/11/gabriel-boric-chile-president-new-era |url-status=live }}</ref> Out of 24 members of Gabriel Boric's female-majority Cabinet, 14 are women.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chile's president-elect names progressive, majority-women cabinet |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/21/chile-gabriel-boric-cabinet-majority-women |work=The Guardian |date=21 January 2022 |language=en |access-date=15 March 2022 |archive-date=25 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125135734/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/21/chile-gabriel-boric-cabinet-majority-women |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 4 September 2022, voters rejected overwhelmingly the [[2022 proposed Political Constitution of the Republic of Chile|new constitution]] in the [[2022 Chilean constitutional referendum|constitutional referendum]], which was put forward by the [[Constitutional Convention (Chile)|constitutional convention]] and strongly backed by President Boric.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chile constitution: Voters overwhelmingly reject radical change |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-62792025 |work=BBC News |date=5 September 2022 |access-date=14 September 2022 |archive-date=5 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220905063525/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-62792025 |url-status=live }}</ref> Prior to the dismissal of the proposed constitution the issue of constitutional [[plurinationalism]] was noted in polls as particularly divisive in Chile.<ref>{{Cite news |title=El debate sobre el reconocimiento del "Estado plurinacional" divide a los chilenos |url=https://elpais.com/chile/2022-08-31/la-plurinacionalidad-de-la-nueva-constitucion-no-genera-consenso-entre-los-chilenos.html |last=Montes |first=Rocío |date=2022-08-31 |access-date=2022-09-24 |work=[[El País]] |language=Spanish |archive-date=2022-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923213400/https://elpais.com/chile/2022-08-31/la-plurinacionalidad-de-la-nueva-constitucion-no-genera-consenso-entre-los-chilenos.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In May 2023, the far-right Republican Party became first in Chilean Constitutional Council [[2023 Chilean Constitutional Council election|election]].The Republican party won 22 out of the 51 seats, with right-wing parties winning another 11 seats, in the assembly tasked with drawing up Chile's new constitution.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chile constitution: Far-right party biggest in new assembly |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-65524068 |date=8 May 2023}}</ref> In December 2023, Chilean voters rejected in a [[2023 Chilean constitutional referendum|referendum]] a proposed new constitution drafted by a conservative-led committee.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chile voters reject conservative constitution in second referendum |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231217-chile-voters-reject-conservative-constitution-to-replace-dictatorship-era-text |work=France 24 |date=17 December 2023 |language=en}}</ref>