Original article: “No es cierto”: Jackson desmiente al ministro García y sostiene que la gradualidad del bencinazo no requería cambios a la ley

Giorgio Jackson Refutes Minister García Over Fuel Price Hike Legality, Claims No Law Change Needed

Giorgio Jackson has denied claims made by Minister José García Ruminot, stating that the «bencinazo«, implemented under the administration of José Antonio Kast, did not necessitate changes to the law.

The former Minister of Social Development and Family, during the presidency of Gabriel Boric, asserted that it is «not true» that legal modifications were required to implement a more gradual transition.

Jackson responded to García’s remarks, which were made on Sunday regarding the historic rise in fuel prices following the far-right government’s administrative adjustment to the parameters of the Fuel Price Stabilization Mechanism (Mepco).

During his appearance on TVN’s Estado Nacional program, he justified this measure and noted that La Moneda considered various alternatives, including changing the law to introduce a gradual increase. However, he claimed this option was ruled out due to the unlikelihood of securing the necessary votes.

«The truth is that this was thoroughly evaluated; the technical reasons led us to the conclusion that if we brought a legislative project to Congress to make it more gradual, which is something everyone is advocating today, it would require laws, and Mepco does not authorize us to change those parameters,» he stated.

The minister indicated that it would be very challenging to gain the support of the majority in Congress and added that time was against them.

«In our political analysis, after discussing with parliamentary blocs, it was going to be very difficult to secure the votes, and we were also racing against time since the price of tariffs was set to rise the previous Thursday. A law was needed to handle it differently, and it was highly unlikely that the majority of Congress would support the Executive in an unpopular but necessary measure, which is why we opted for that formula,» he explained on camera.

Jackson: «It Was a Political Decision»

García’s statements were challenged by Giorgio Jackson through a post shared on his social media account, X.

Specifically, the former minister questioned the validity of the Secretary of State’s argument that «a law was needed to do it differently.»

«Respectfully, what Minister García says is not true,» he asserted.

He clarified that the decision to apply Mepco (law 20.765), «and therefore have gradual increases in fuel prices, did not require changes to the law.»

In the opinion of the former deputy, it was a political decision made by Kast’s government.

The abrupt rise in gasoline and diesel prices effective from last Thursday has had a direct impact on citizens’ wallets and has affected the approval ratings of the far-right administration.

While surveys like Cadem indicate Kast has seen a drop of over 10 points in approval, with rejection rising to 49%, the Panel Ciudadano UDD survey reveals an even harsher decline: in just 12 days, disapproval surged from 18% to 48%, highlighting the high political cost of the «bencinazo.»

The discontent arises not only from economic factors but from a combination of decisions that voters themselves deem a betrayal of promises made. Alongside cuts affecting sensitive areas—such as a $72 billion reduction in security during a crisis, tax decreases for major entrepreneurs, announcements about CAE charges, and constraints on free education—there’s also evidence of personal contradictions: in 2021, Kast asserted that if he reached La Moneda, he would halve salaries, yet as President, he increased his own and those of his advisors.