Detested by many, now formally accused of having his dirty hands in the cookie jar. Infobae article in Spanish with sources via CNN Chile:
Pressured to leave, Chile’s Minister of Social Development and Family Resigns
Giorgio Jackson presented his resignation after a meeting at La Moneda with President Boric, following the announcement that a constitutional accusation would be filed against him.
[ Quick and dirty translation]
The Chilean Minister of Social Development and Family, Giorgio Jackson, presented his resignation after a meeting at La Moneda with President Boric, amid strong pressures for his departure after it was announced that a constitutional accusation would be filed against him.
The accusation, backed by Chile Vamos, would be presented by the Chilean Republican Party next Monday, August 14.
“I step aside after noting that my presence in the cabinet has been used by the political opposition as an excuse for not advancing in the agreements that Chile demands,” he said when announcing his departure. “I presented my resignation to the president in a way that could not be refused, because I am convinced that certain actions and conditions must be created, no matter how unfair they may be, to bring about those agreements.”
Jackson’s departure is troublesome for the President because besides being personal friends, they shared a political history as student leaders in massive mobilizations a decade ago and later as deputies in Congress.
In a cabinet reshuffle last September after the failure of a proposal for a new constitution endorsed by the ruling party, Boric removed Jackson from the ministry in charge of relations with Congress, moving him to the less politically charged “Social Development” ministry.
The Undersecretary of Social Evaluation, Paula Poblete Maureira, will assume the Jackson’s former post on an interim basis, according to CNN Chile.
Pressure for Jackson’s departure began after the unraveling of the so-called “Convenios Case”, which exploded in June in the northern region of Antofagasta, when alleged irregularities in million-dollar agreements, signed between the regional delegation of the Ministry of Housing and the ‘Democracia Viva’ foundation, were exposed.
The foundation is linked to militants of Revolución Democrática, one of the parties of the ruling [Boric] coalition, founded by the [now-deposed] Minister of Social Development, Giorgio Jackson.
This scandal hit the Government hard,after the announcement of an internal audit throughout the country to clarify whether there are irregularities in the delivery of public subsidies in this mandate as well as in the legislature of the former conservative President Sebastián Piñera (2018-2022).
Additional related reading:
In English: Chile: Boric enacts bill protecting whistleblowers in corruption cases — MercoPress
Media in Spain [El País] regarding the constitutional accusation against Jackson:
El País:
"[The accusation has] … sufficient merit, " indicated the president of the Republican bench, Deputy Benjamin Moreno. The parliamentarian detailed that the Minister of Social Development [Jackson] “seriously compromised the honor of the Nation, violated the Constitution and the laws, and left them without execution.” Moreno added that “most Chileans know that Minister Jackson is the face of corruption in our country”.
In later news it was reported that the congress would drop the constitutional accusation against Jackson since he has resigned.
La Tercera (news in Spanish)
Money mess: Map of the 53 foundations investigated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in 11 regions of the country
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened 23 cases to investigate the transfers made by public agencies to foundations. So far, the resources involved in these transfers amount to CLP32,156,274,081 [about US$39 million] .