Original article: Chile: Comisión Investigadora sobre recortes del Gobierno a programas sociales realiza primer trámite Today, deputies Luis Cuello (PC), Juan Santana (PS), Luis Malla (PL), Carlos Bianchi, and deputy Gael Yeomans (FA) submitted a request to establish a Special Investigative Commission aimed at bringing transparency regarding the cuts initiated by Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz, which are affecting essential services and social policies. The request, presented to the Chamber, seeks to form a Special Investigative Commission to gather information on the actions taken by the Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office between March 11 and May 5, 2026, under the Fiscal Adjustment Plan and the preparation of the 2027 Budget. In this context, deputy Luis Cuello, a proponent of the initiative, stated: «President Kast’s government is implementing a shock policy, a fiscal adjustment plan that is resulting in a reduction manifesting today in critically sensitive areas such as health, education, and even the reconstruction plan for Viña del Mar, while also planning to eliminate social programs that impact children and the elderly, which affect Chileans overall.
This fiscal adjustment plan lacks transparency; it has been opaque, dark, and unresponsive. That is why today, alongside parliamentarians from various parties, we have submitted a request to create a special investigative commission regarding the fiscal adjustment plan to understand transparently, in front of the country, which aspects are going to be cut. Moreover, deputy Juan Santana remarked: “The inquiries we want to make to the finance minister during this investigative commission will utilize our oversight powers to question the government about the criteria used to evaluate the continuity of programs that benefit the country’s most vulnerable populations and the middle classes, such as the school feeding program.
” Additionally, deputy Gael Yeomans stated: “We learned through the press that the government plans to cut emergency funds for the reconstruction of Valparaíso, while here in Congress, we are processing a bill to finance the reconstruction. Therefore, resources exist, but they are being cut. It is a brutal inconsistency from Minister Quiroz, who uses the reconstruction as a basis for this bill, but the real objective is to benefit the super-rich.
That is the actual idea disguised with the false promise of reconstruction, which already has public funds and must be used. ” Finally, deputy Carlos Bianchi added: «It is absolutely necessary for Chile to know, through this Congress, the proposals for eliminating the cuts in social matters that the Minister has carried out. Beyond any subsequent retraction, there are official documents that were signed; the Budget Office indeed carried out the request to cut many social programs.
And we feel that this investigative commission, which we are proposing today, has the duty to bring to light what the government has not wanted to disclose. We cannot accept that the Minister of Finance makes a decision that is entirely imposed and without consultation.