The rejection is imposed in the plebiscite on the new draft Constitution in Chile

Boric closes a constituent process intended to "bring hope" but that has ended in "frustration and boredom"

Kast accepts his defeat and urges the Government to solve the citizens' problems

The vote 'against' the new Chilean Constitution proposal, with a markedly conservative character, has prevailed in the plebiscite held this Sunday with 55.76 percent of votes (6,860,719 votes), according to official data corresponding to the 99.33 percent of the scrutiny.

The Electoral Service of Chile (Servel) has also reported that the 'in favor' has garnered 44.24 percent of support (5,443,201 votes). With a participation of 84.46 percent, 480,717 invalid votes (3.69 percent) and 169,917 blank votes (1.31 percent) have also been cast.

This refusal is the second time that the Chilean electorate rejects a draft Constitution after the political debacle that the defeat of the text proposed on September 4, 2022, then of a progressive tendency, meant for the Government of President Gabriel Boric.

For his part, the Chilean president has assured that the constituent process is "closed", as they had previously warned in case the proposal to replace the 1980 Constitution, drafted in the shadow of the dictator Augusto Pinochet, was defeated again.

"The country became polarized, divided, and regardless of this overwhelming result, the constitutional process failed to channel the hopes of having a new Constitution written for everyone. Politics has remained indebted to the people of Chile. And this debt is pays by achieving the solutions that Chileans need and demand that we achieve," Boric declared.

In that sense, he highlighted during a speech reported by the newspaper 'BioBío Chile' that, despite the government's work "concentrated" on the constituent process, which "was destined to bring hope," in the end it has only generated "frustration and weariness".

"The country does not reinvent itself from one day to the next. To do things well we must respect each other and meet again as Chileans. That is why I say it with great conviction: neither celebration nor arrogance. Ball on the ground, humility, and work, a lot of work," added Boric, who has also recognized an "important part" of citizens who have voted in favor of the proposal.

"I want to speak to the worker of the country who gets up early to earn a living, to the entrepreneurial woman who many times without support has had to carry her entire family on her lonely but strong shoulders. To the young people who believe it is possible to build a better world, but they do not find the necessary opportunities to do so. To the older people who have built Chile and who today do not have the sufficient recognition they deserve. We owe it to you compatriots," said Boric.

After recognizing the failure of the constituent process, in which the progressives and conservatives have seen their proposals rejected, the president has assured that his Government will resume the legislative procedures "as soon as possible" to achieve the pension reform, the fiscal redistribution pact of wealth and to increase security and social rights, women's rights, education, housing and health so that they "never suffer setbacks."

"These are the priorities of Chileans and they are, therefore, also my priorities and those of the Government, and I hope of all political sectors in general, because that is what society demands of us," he remarked.

On the other hand, the leader of the far-right Republican Party, José Antonio Kast, whose party led the Constitutional Council that drafted this proposal, has accepted his defeat and has urged the Government to solve the citizens' problems.

"Work, govern and take care of the urgent problems of Chileans. It was clear that the majority of Chileans are tired of these processes," declared Kast.

In that sense, he has assured that the results of the elections "are not significant" because a new Constitution was not going to change the lives of citizens "from one day to the next."

"This result is not significant for millions of Chileans because the Constitution is not going to change their lives from one day to the next, nor is it going to resolve the emergencies they have. First thing tomorrow morning, the workforce in Chile will wake up like every day to continue working to obtain the livelihood that allows them to make ends meet," he added.