Rising Fuel Costs Spark Outrage: Congressman Manouchehri Calls for Finance Minister Quiroz’s Resignation Over Tax Reform

Original article: Bencinazo y rebaja a los más ricos: Diputado Manouchehri emplaza a ministro Quiroz por reforma tributaria y exige su renuncia

Tax Cuts for the Wealthy Amid Rising Living Costs: Congressman Manouchehri Challenges Minister Quiroz Over Tax Reform and Fuel Price Hike

The controversy surrounding rising living costs is escalating following the so-called «fuel hike» enforced by José Antonio Kast’s government, set against a backdrop of proposed tax cuts for large corporations.

Experts have generally agreed that the adjustments to the MEPCO mechanism should have been implemented gradually, warning that Chile may currently be the only country to have fully passed the global rise in fuel prices onto its citizens.

In this context, Congressman Daniel Manouchehri has levied sharp criticisms against the government’s economic management, directly targeting Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz. He stated, «The Minister of Finance is creating a national crisis,» intensifying his criticisms amid ongoing public debate.

The congressman went further, demanding Quiroz’s resignation: «Minister Quiroz must resign. The fuel hike is a political decision by Kast’s government. Never in Chile’s history has a Finance Minister raised living costs for millions of families with a single decree while simultaneously stifling the country’s economic growth. This is not just my assertion; it’s shown by the Central Bank. Just like the collusion in the chicken and medicine sectors, the people bear the cost.»

Check out part of the interview in the following podcast from The Clinic

Congressman Daniel Manouchehri Questions Quiroz in Chamber Committee

The congressman also challenged the government’s arguments regarding international oil prices.

📹 Video 1: Congressman Daniel Manouchehri’s intervention in committee, challenging Minister Jorge Quiroz.

During the session, the legislator emphasized that Brent crude prices have previously approached $140 per barrel, suggesting that the issue is not solely external but rather a political decision regarding who bears the costs. He also rejected the notion that MEPCO benefits only higher income sectors, highlighting its significant effects in regions where fuel is vital for productive and labor activities.

The congressman warned of a domino effect from rising diesel prices, noting its direct impact on basic goods such as bread, vegetables, and electricity, which hits middle-class and vulnerable communities the hardest. Concurrently, he criticized the government’s proposed tax cuts, which would result in a revenue loss of approximately $3 billion annually benefiting the wealthiest 1%.

“We asked Minister Quiroz again: he claims there is no money to prevent fuel prices from rising for the people. So where will he get the funds for his tax reform that cuts taxes for the rich? He did not respond.” The debate remains heated, attracting increasing criticism from various political and technical sectors.

📹 Video 2: Second recording where Manouchehri questions the minister’s lack of responses.