Chilean President Gabriel Boric speaks in the National Congress' Hall of Honor in Valparaiso on Sunday, giving an overview of his term. Boric met with his cabinet at the Cerro Castillo Palace in Vina del Mar before what was be his final public address to the nation from Congress before Chile holds general elections in November. Photo by Cristóbal Basaune/EPA-EFE
SANTIAGO, Chile, June 2 (UPI) -- President Gabriel Boric delivered his fourth and final annual address to Chile's National Congress, beginning the last year of his term with just 22% approval amid political fragmentation, public security concerns and corruption scandals that involve his left-wing coalition.
In his speech Sunday, Boric struck a self-critical tone while defending key accomplishments, including reducing the workweek to 40 hours and raising the minimum wage to the equivalent of $530 per month.
He also highlighted the pension reform passed in January, which represents one of the most significant changes to Chile's retirement system in more than four decades. While it fell short of his original pledge to eliminate private pension fund administrators, the reform established a mixed system that combines individual savings with a solidarity-based component.
