Chuquicamata Union Urges Rejection of Kast’s Security Reform: ‘No Citizen Should Be Seen as a Threat for Exercising Rights’

Original article: Sindicato de Chuquicamata llama a rechazar reforma de seguridad de Kast: «Ningún ciudadano debe ser considerado un peligro para el Estado por ejercer y exigir sus derechos»

In a public statement, the Workers’ Union of the Chuquicamata Division of Codelco expressed strong opposition to the constitutional security reform proposed by President José A. Kast, warning that it poses a «particular threat to citizen freedom.»

«As the Chuquicamata Union, we speak not from theory, but from years of accumulated experience as a labor organization, advocating for civil rights and workers’ rights,» they emphasized initially.

«Thus, we see a clear risk: Social and labor protests are not a threat to the State. No citizen or worker should be considered a danger to the State for exercising and demanding their rights. The defense of social and labor rights cannot be confused with criminal behavior,» declared the union organization.

The declaration further states, «We cannot accept that powers intended to address exceptional security situations be misused as tools for citizen control, especially against those of us who legitimately defend social, labor, and union rights.»

The Chuquicamata Union has called on «all social and labor organizations across the country, labor federations, confederations, and anyone who believes in democracy, to speak out and reject this reform.»

«Citizen and union freedom does not merely consist of having a legally registered organization. It means being able to meet, move, communicate, democratically choose representatives, and coordinate with other social and labor organizations. Moreover, it means that citizens can organize without fear of being monitored or treated as criminals,» the statement emphasized.

«That is why we are especially concerned about the intent to intercept ‘all kinds of communications.’ State security cannot become a gateway to the surveillance of individuals, social organizations, and labor unions,» insisted the workers of Chuquicamata. Read the full statement below: