President Boric Reinforces Democratic Values and Addresses Regional Challenges at Second World Leaders Forum Appearance

Chilean President Gabriel Boric made a strong case for democratic principles and regional cooperation during his second appearance at Columbia’s World Leaders Forum on August 25. Speaking with Professor María Victoria Murillo, director of the Institute of Latin American Studies (ILAS) and current co-chair of the Faculty Advisory Committee of the Santiago Center, Boric addressed a range of pressing issues facing Latin America, including the Venezuelan and Haitian crisis', economic development, and the energy transition.

The event, which was co-sponsored by ILAS and took place at Low Library, was introduced by Dr. Katrina Armstrong, Columbia University's Interim President, who highlighted that Boric has been a frequent visit to the university during his presidency, making his first World Leaders Forum appearance in 2022, six months after taking office. In September 2023, he visited the Business School, where he discussed development, democracy, and environmental justice with professor and Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz. “Today, we are delighted to welcome him back for a session centered on democracy and human rights in Latin America,” she said, and encouraged the students in the audience to “take advantage of this really remarkable and unique experience. Through these events, you have the chance to listen, learn, question, and challenge in conversation with some of the world’s most influential figures who are currently leading on the global stage.”

Professor Murillo initiated the conversation by acknowledging Boric’s emergence as a prominent advocate for democracy and human rights in the region. She raised pressing questions regarding the recent Venezuelan election and asked about the lack of regional coordination in sustaining democracy amid challenges like those in Venezuela.

In response, Boric underscored the gravity of the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, highlighting the plight of its people. “What’s happening in Venezuela is a tragedy from every perspective. Over 7.5 million people have fled the country, showcasing the severity of the crisis,” he stated, stressing the need to focus on the Venezuelan people rather than exploiting the situation for political gain. He called the Venezuelan government a dictatorship accusing it of violating human rights and undermining democratic principles. He further criticized the regime's attempts to manipulate the electoral process, declaring, “It’s evident that the regime is attempting to steal the election. When you’re not transparent about the process, it’s because you have something to hide.”

Boric also underscored the importance of consistency in defending democratic values and criticized the lack of regional coordination in addressing the crisis. “We need to defend principles, not interests, friendships, or compromises,” he stated.

Transitioning to the crisis in Haiti, Murillo inquired why Latin American countries have failed to coordinate a response. Boric acknowledged the complexities involved, asserting that any resolution must come from the will of the Haitian people. “You can’t just impose a government. In that sense, I believe the responsibilities are shared. We have tried to support Haiti consistently, deploying military forces to ensure security and currently assisting with police training and humanitarian aid. However, the problem runs deeper and is rooted in the sovereignty of the Haitian people,” he remarked, stressing the importance of local agency in resolving such crises.

The discussion then shifted to economic opportunities, democratic legitimacy, and environmental sustainability in Latin America. Boric reflected on the historical context, noting, “With the return of democracies in Latin America after the Cold War, there was a tacit consensus on ensuring social cohesion, primarily through the restoration of civil and political rights, economic growth, and access to consumption. However, this often overlooked the tremendous inequalities that existed.” He emphasized the need to bridge the significant disconnect between the ruling elite and the majority of society, who feel frustrated by unfulfilled promises of meritocracy and social mobility.

“Economic inequality – both in terms of income distribution and unjust privileges – must be prioritized. We have tried to address this issue with the conviction that certain aspects of communal life shouldn’t be subject to business interests, but rather should be understood as rights, regardless of each person’s income, such as education, pensions, health, and we could also consider access to decent housing,” he explained, acknowledging the challenges of implementing these reforms in a society shaped by decades of neoliberal policies. “This clashes with the concept of a subsidiary state that became very dominant in Latin America during the 1990s. Changing a society where neoliberalism was so radically implanted is a much slower process than we would like, but we prefer this path, the democratic one.”

Boric also addressed the challenges of public security and organized crime in Latin America, stressing the need for a comprehensive approach that combines law enforcement with social policies aimed at reducing inequality and strengthening community ties. “Security is an enabling right for all other rights,” he stated. “When the majority feels insecure, it limits the exercise of other rights, creating a vicious cycle.”

“In government, there’s a tendency to defend yourself with positive outcomes that may only marginally change the situation. For example, in Chile, we managed to halt the rising homicide rate, which had been climbing since 2015, but that’s not enough to influence people’s sense of security. When public spaces are abandoned and overtaken by crime, it requires long-term efforts and state policy to combat this issue.”

“The left must prioritize this challenge instead of merely attributing it to structural causes. Organized crime transcends the traditional issues we progressives have focused on. We need a firm hand in prosecuting organized crime and drug trafficking, alongside robust social cohesion policies. This is what we are trying to do in Chile. Marginal improvements are not enough. While it's positive that homicide rates are no longer increasing, we must restore public confidence in safety, and we are working intensely toward that goal. It’s crucial to eliminate taboos and prejudices regarding relations with the police forces."

As the discussion progressed, Murillo asked Boric about the two unsuccessful attempts to reform the dictatorship-era constitution still in place in Chile. “Although the constitutional processes didn’t result in a new constitution, they can’t be considered a failure,” Boric explained. “The lessons learned and the decision to address democracy’s challenges through more democracy—rather than authoritarian shortcuts or forceful coups—are incredibly valuable.”

He acknowledged that the majorities that dominated both constitutional processes diverged significantly from the common sentiment of most Chileans, stating, “There’s broad consensus in Chile that change is necessary—not just cosmetic, but structural. However, these changes shouldn’t jeopardize the progress people feel they’ve made in their material living conditions over the years.”

Boric also took responsibility for the first constitutional process, stating, “Those of us who voted ‘Approve’ to that proposal are partly responsible for the outcome of that first election. The spirit with which we came to power was closely tied to that process, and we had to adjust our priorities based on the demands of the Chilean people. I believe it’s right that, when reality changes, you adapt instead of stubbornly running into the same wall.”

“The key takeaway is that you can’t exclude the minority simply because they’re temporarily outnumbered. Both constitutional bodies failed to seriously consider the minority’s views, and the minority lacked the power to veto important issues. In both cases, it felt like a constitution was being written as though the other side didn’t exist. A constitution should be a place for shared minimal agreements, not a political wish list," he stated.

As the conversation shifted towards the energy transition, Murillo raised the question about Chile’s role in the global energy landscape, particularly in light of its lithium resources. “Chile possesses lithium, which is crucial for the global energy transition. However, the extraction of this and other critical minerals from the Global South seems primarily aimed at accelerating the transition in the North,” she noted.

Boric responded by emphasizing the need for a shared understanding of the climate crisis as a consequence of human activity. “Chile contributes about 0.2-0.3% of global greenhouse gases. Nevertheless, we are making significant strides toward carbon neutrality, being the second country in the world to legislate carbon neutrality by 2050,” he stated, outlining Chile’s commitment to sustainable development.

He further explained that Chile is taking concrete steps to harness its rich renewable energy resources, particularly solar and wind, while also protecting significant areas of its natural environment. “Chile is playing its part, but it’s crucial for developed countries in the North to take greater responsibility,” Boric said. “While addressing the climate crisis is a global obligation, some countries bear more responsibility than others, and this should be reflected in compensations and increased financial support from developed nations,” he remarked.

The President also stressed the importance of creating value chains and fostering technology transfer within Chile, stating, “We are making decisive progress toward this goal as a state policy, not just a government initiative.”

As the event drew to a close, Boric engaged with students from various backgrounds, addressing their questions on topics such as Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza and the Chilean’s state position in relation to the conflict, the country’s femicide rates, the relevance of young people in politics, issues of regional migration and xenophobia and the state of US-Chile relations, among other subjects.

Following the conference, dozens of Chilean students currently studying at Columbia University had the opportunity to meet President Boric in person and engage in a more informal conversation. Prior to the event, the Chilean President and his delegation also met with Columbia University's leadership, including interim President Armstrong, Provost Angela Olinto, Executive Vice President for Columbia Global Wafaa El-Sadr, and Antonio Campaña, Director of the Santiago Center. The presidential delegation included Juan Gabriel Valdés, Chilean Ambassador to the United States; Paula Narváez, Chilean Ambassador to the United Nations; along with ministers Alberto Van Klaveren (Foreign Affairs), Nicolás Cataldo (Education), and Javiera Toro (Social Development).