Wednesday, August 26th 2026 - 08:42 UTC
The main point of friction is parliamentary oversight
José Antonio Kast's government indicated on Tuesday it was willing to amend the constitutional security reform bill it submitted to the Senate on August 17, after the proposal drew objections both from the opposition and from parties within its own coalition.
The bill creates a constitutional state of public security emergency that the president could declare in the face of a serious and imminent threat to public order, or once public order has already been seriously affected. It would last up to 120 days, and the president could extend it once for an equal period without seeking parliamentary authorisation, adding up to 240 days. Only subsequent extensions would require congressional agreement. While in force, freedom of movement and the rights of assembly and association could be restricted, and communications intercepted.
The main point of friction is parliamentary oversight. The most severe states of emergency currently provided for in Chile's constitution — the state of siege, envisaged for civil war, and the state of assembly, for external war — require congressional approval within five days of being declared.
