Original article: «Aquí está el ministro que se sale de sus cabales y no está a la altura de su investidura»: Increpan a Poduje en Viña del Mar

Minister Iván Poduje Faces Backlash in Viña del Mar Over Housing Concerns

A tense incident unfolded Thursday afternoon in the El Olivar of Viña del Mar area, where Housing and Urban Development Minister Iván Poduje was confronted and accused of being ‘out of control’, staging a ‘show in the rain’, and ‘failing to live up to his position.’

After local residents raised concerns regarding damage and collapse risks in homes reconstructed following a major fire, the Minister responded via social media stating he would visit the area ‘to personally assess the situation.’

‘Residents of El Olivar alerted us about walls at risk of collapsing in poorly executed homes by the San Sebastián construction company, which we halted construction on months ago,’ he noted.

Upon arriving at the site, accompanied by teams from the Seremi of Housing and Serviu, he confirmed that the rains have revealed serious flaws in the constructions, according to Bio Bio Chile.

The Minister spoke to the press addressing alleged reports of wall collapses in homes.

He even mentioned that the Government had filed lawsuits over at least eight offenses against the San Sebastián construction company.

‘The construction company is free to state what it wants in court,’ he affirmed.

However, at that moment, a lawyer linked to the firm confronted the Housing Minister, accusing him of ‘acting outside the law’, labeling him a ‘bully’ and asserting that ‘no lawsuits exist.’

Shortly after, visibly upset, Poduje approached the individual to ask for his last name and demand he repeat his comments.

‘Here is the Minister, as always hiding. This is the Minister who is out of control. Look at how he confronts. Here you have him: someone who is not up to the high position that Mr. (José Antonio) Kast has promoted him to,’ the lawyer stated.

‘I call him Minister beyond just putting on this show in the rain; let’s respect the institutions and the courts. There is an expert assessment ready, and we will abide by that assessment,’ he indicated.

‘This is another demonstration of how the Minister puts on a show,’ he emphasized.