Boric defends that he told Kast about the Chinese cable project and the future Minister of the Interior denies it

The political crisis that has been generated in Chile by the China Mobile company’s submarine fiber optic cable project, to connect the Chilean region of Valparaíso with Hong Kong, continues to hinder the transfer of command between the Government of Gabriel Boric and that of José Antonio Kast, who takes office next Wednesday the 11th. The left-wing president defended this Monday that, before Washington sanctioned three executive officials on February 20, accused of «undermining regional security» of the hemisphere, had communicated to the president-elect his vision on the Chinese cable. “We have been absolutely transparent,” he said in an interview with the Mega television channel. The future Minister of the Interior, Claudio Alvaro, has responded that they view Boric’s statements with “concern,” because “they do not match reality.” The contradiction occurs in the prelude to a meeting this Tuesday morning between Boric and Kast, where they will address the issue that has tense Chilean politics. The left-wing government has been questioned by the opposition about the information it has provided about the Chinese cable project after the United States revoked the visas of the three officials, including the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Juan Carlos Muñoz. Initially, Foreign Minister Alberto Van Klaveren explained that Donald Trump’s Government estimates that the Chinese cable could «represent a threat to its security», and that, in reality, it was «a project that has not been approved» and that «is under evaluation.» Then, El Mercurio reported that Muñoz had approved on January 27 the concession so that the China Mobile company could install, operate and exploit the submarine cable, although 48 hours after signing the decree, it was annulled, citing technical or typing errors. The Boric Government defends that this decree was never approved by the Comptroller’s Office – the body that must check all the administrative acts of the State -, so, administratively, it was never approved. Furthermore, when they learned of the sanctions against the three officials, the Boric Government said that they were «surprised.» The next day, however, Muñoz acknowledged that, when he met with the US ambassador to Chile, Brandon Judd, on February 2, the diplomat expressed the possibility of «taking sanctions against the people who had participated [del proyecto]no matter how technical it may have been [su incursión]». Asked about the inaccuracies of the story, Boric responded this Monday to Meganoticias that, weeks before the sanctions imposed by Washington, he told Kast that he wanted to talk, specifically, about the submarine cable, among other reasons because the United States had already «manifested these threats» to security. «As it is a delicate decision given the geopolitical situation, and a long-term decision that, regardless of the decision our Government made regarding, specifically, the point of the concession, this would still continue to be processed. during his government. It seemed important to me to talk to him about it,» said the acting president. Boric’s statements came to light just when the incoming Minister of the Interior, Claudio Alvarado, met in La Moneda with the minister of the outgoing Government, Álvaro Elizalde. «We view President Boric’s statements with a certain degree of concern, since they are not consistent with reality,» Alvarado stated outside the presidential palace. «The president-elect was never informed, nor was he aware of this situation that is related to the Chinese cable. Therefore, there was no information here and it was not transparent about (this particular case),» he added. Alvarado, who is the coordinator of the change of command between both administrations, had complained last week that in the bilateral meeting between Boric’s Minister of Transport and Telecommunications and his successor, Louis de Grange, held on February 13, «there was not a single mention» of the submarine cable. The Office of the President-Elect (OPE) has been cautious regarding the Chinese cable project, which will correspond to it address as a Government as of March 11. Although the future spokesperson, Mara Sedini, called the Executive this Monday on Teletrece “equivocal, inaccurate and not very transparent” on the matter, the only thing that the future Chancellor, Francisco Pérez Mackenna, has said since Washington sanctioned the three Executive officials is that it is “necessary to know absolutely all the background information” to be able to analyze the measure, and that as a Government they will make “every effort so that the foreign policy allows us to carry out the best ones.” relations with all countries and renew a constructive and collaborative spirit with all nations.”