Cristin Valenzuela, Kast’s Campaign Strategist, Branded an «Expensive Parasite» as Dipres, Finance Ministry and Servel Payouts Top 95 Million Pesos

Cristi n Valenzuela, chief strategist for the presidential campaign of the Republican Party candidate, Jos Antonio Kast, recently published a column asserting that the state is «drained by parasites.» However, after disclosures that he received more than $95 million pesos via the Budget Directorate (Dipres), the Finance Ministry and the Electoral Service (Servel) for consulting, professional services and campaign reimbursements, he is being labeled on social media as an «expensive parasite» living off «the money of all Chileans».

«In Chile, the state is not sick; it is rotten. They have turned it into a bloated body, full of parasites that live off it, drain it and divide up the remains as if it were loot. It is always the same people, those who have turned public spending into an industry and politics into a carveup,» wrote the Republican Party’s communications director in the controversial column «Parasites», published by La Tercera on October 8.

He also argued that «those who could change things do not want to. Those who already governed, those who call themselves the opposition, also parasitized the state.»

Lawmakers request a formal report and a summons to the Finance Committee

The column stirred the political scene, and after Fast Check revealed that Valenzuela appears as an expert professional within the Senior Public Management System (SADP) a role he shares with fellow Republicans Carmen Soza and Sebasti Figueroa, with stipends of up to $2.3 million pesos per month deputy Gael Yeomans (FA) formally asked the national director of the Civil Service to report on the duties, meetings, selection process and pay of these advisers.

Similarly, Socialist Party lawmaker Daniel Manouchehri announced he will seek to summon Valenzuela before the Chamber of Deputies’ Finance Committee to provide further details about his role in the SADP.

Chile Vamos reaction: «Time to stop the nonsense»

The «Parasites» column also caused friction within the rightwing Chile Vamos coalition, which saw it as an attack.

«It’s time to stop the nonsense,» said Senator Luciano CruzCoke, while Senator Rodrigo Galilea called the piece «pointless, aggressive and absolutely unhelpful.»

«We started with the ‘cowardly right’ […] and now, to top it off, that we’re ‘parasites’,» criticized deputy Ximena Ossand .

For his part, lawmaker Frank Sauerbaum questioned the Republican campaign’s tactics in deploying figures like Valenzuela to spark controversy: «Does Kast like to provoke and then appear as the conciliatory man?» he commented.

Amid the torrent of criticism, Valenzuela moved to limit the damage. In an interview with Tele13 Radio, the farright candidate’s adviser tempered his remarks and insisted, «I worked in government and I don’t feel like a parasite, but people who abuse the state do exist. People who used medical leave to go on vacation abroad also exist, and that’s deplorable.»

Millions in fees from Dipres and the Finance Ministry

The very experience he cited in his defense is now at the center of the storm. According to records published on the Transparency portal, through his work with the state Cristi n Valenzuela has received more than $95 million pesos since 2018.

Between 2018 and 2022, Valenzuela provided a total of 27 consultancies to Dipres. For those professional services, he received $54,167,600 in public funds.

In 2020, his roster of state clients also included the Finance Undersecretariat. For advising the thenundersecretary, Valenzuela was paid a total of $7,575,536, Interferencia reported.

Taken together, for direct advisory work for government bodies alone, Valenzuela earned $61,743,136.

Servel reimbursements for Kast’s adviser

Beyond direct contracts, Valenzuela has channeled a significant share of his income through public financing of political campaigns. Under electoral law, the Electoral Service (Servel) reimburses campaign expenses for candidates and parties that meet the legal requirements.

A review of Republican Party candidates’ filings in recent elections, conducted by the Interferencia newsroom, found that Valenzuela has been a recurring supplier.

During the three months of the 2021 presidential campaign, the lawyer issued four fee invoices totaling $24,400,000 to Jos Antonio Kast’s candidacy for professional advisory services. That amount was later reimbursed by Servel with public funds.

The flow of resources continued into the 2024 electoral cycle. For the recent municipal and regional governor elections, Valenzuela submitted four invoices to the Republican Party for reimbursement by Servel, totaling $9,275,364.

«Expensive parasite»

Adding up these transactions $54,167,600 (Dipres) + $7,575,536 (Finance) + $24,400,000 (Kast presidential campaign) + $9,275,364 (Republican municipal/regional campaign) the total comes to $95,418,500.

News that Valenzuela received this amount from the state triggered a wave of criticism on social media.

Influencer @hernan_sr labeled Kast’s adviser an «expensive parasite» who gets «money from all Chileans.»

«Servel reimbursed 24,000,000 pesos in public funds to Cristi n Valenzuela for Kast’s campaign, and in parallel he earned 54,000,000 for advising Pi ra’s Dipres. 78,000,000 pesos in all. What an expensive parasite. And with the money of all Chileans,» he wrote in a post on X.