Chile made history this weekend by electing its youngest president but not only that, Gabriel Boric was known to be a leftist congressman who advocated for a social change based on equity and reforms to the Chilean country model.
The newly elected president not only has made history by becoming the youngest politician in Chile to take office but as well the one with the most votes ever recorded. Here are some facts you should know about Gabriel Boric and why his presidency will be an important one in the Latin American region.
Who is Gabriel Boric
Gabriel was born in Punta Arenas, south Chile in 1986. His family has Croatian and Spanish roots. When he takes office in March, he will be 36 years and one month.
He has three brothers and his father was a chemical engineer that worked for the national oil company of Chile while his mother was a secretary.
He moved to Santiago, Chile’s capital, to study Law at the National University of Chile, however, he dropped out of school before graduating.
However, he was a very important leader within students, being elected in 2011 as the president of the University of Chile Student Federation (UCSF). During his presidency, he became an important spokesperson during student protests that demanded better opportunities and free education.
His career in politics
His role as the president of the UCSF, made him stand out, and later being elected in 2013 as a member of the Chamber of Deputies. Not only did he was one of the youngest members, but also with one of the higher rates of voting and more important, he run as an independent candidate, thereby his success was a breakthrough Chilean bi-nominal election system.
He beat the system
In a manner of speaking, the triumph of Gabriel Boric makes a total shift in Chilean politics. Not only ends a period of center-left governments, but also breaks the bi-nominal election system.
He won by a vast majority in the second round, with 4,557,392 votes or 55.85%, making him the most voted president in Chilean history.
Boric is well known for his left political ideas, like taxing the rich, ending inequity and poverty, transforming the education and health system as well as a feminist, environmental, and even mental health agenda.
