In response to the criticisms made by Jeannette Jara, the center-left candidate, regarding the economic program of José Antonio Kast, the presidential candidate of the Republican Party, the Kast campaign team has issued a strong rebuttal.
The Kast team accused Jara of not only being unfamiliar with their program but also criticizing the programs of others without reading them. They explained that what is being proposed is «eliminating the forced loan to the State that was approved in the pension reform, replacing it with investments in market instruments, while protecting the increase in pensions and 100% of the contributors’ savings.»
Jara’s Criticism of Kast’s Economic Proposals
Previously, Jara had stated that Kast’s economic program was more about «proposals for the gallery» than serious proposals, and that they would actually «regress on the progress we have made as a country.»
Jara also pointed out that when the opposition candidate «proposes to eliminate the solidarity contribution to pensions, what he is saying is that 1 million 400 older adults who are currently retired, and whose pensions have been increased based on the years contributed, will no longer receive this contribution.»
«It was not enough for him to oppose the pension reform, now they want to punish the elderly again,» Jara accused.
Kast’s Team Responds
The Kast campaign team responded by explaining that their proposal is to «eliminate the forced loan to the State that was approved in the pension reform, replacing it with investments in market instruments, while protecting the increase in pensions and 100% of the contributors’ savings.»
They argued that Jara’s criticism of Kast’s program shows that «not only does she not know her own program, but she also criticizes the programs of others without reading them.»
Implications for the Pension System
Jara’s concern about the impact on older adults’ pensions is a valid point that the Kast team will need to address more clearly. The proposal to eliminate the solidarity contribution could have significant implications for retirees, and the Kast campaign will need to provide more details on how they plan to protect and even increase pension benefits.
Overall, this exchange highlights the importance of candidates thoroughly understanding each other’s proposals and engaging in substantive policy debates, rather than making uninformed criticisms.
