Government Responds to Poduje’s Criticism of Environmental Activism: «Public Policy Implementation Should Not Rely on Caricatures»

Original article: Gobierno responde a Poduje por críticas al «activismo ambiental»: «Basar la implementación de políticas públicas a través de caricaturas no es productivo»

«Development cannot be considered to come at the cost of environmental or social factors,» stated Environment Minister Maisa Rojas after Iván Poduje criticized the role of environmental activism, blaming it for delays in projects.

The government of President Gabriel Boric responded to the incoming Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Iván Poduje, from the administration of elected president José Antonio Kast, following his remarks against environmental defenders.

During his participation in a seminar hosted by the Chilean Association of Municipalities (ACHM), Poduje clashed with an attendee after criticizing the progress of reconstruction following the fires in Viña del Mar, claiming that the work is “stalled due to environmental activism.”

“Projects are being halted by environmental activism; fanatics within the government have stopped housing reconstruction because they found a tree. We have a Cancer Hospital halted for 18 months because a nest of rodents was discovered,” the incoming state secretary said during his presentation.

He announced that the ultra-right administration will push for significant changes to the operations of the Council of National Monuments.

“If the members of the Council want to be Indiana Jones and uncover findings costing us 80 billion that greatly benefit the archaeologists on the Council and their archaeology friends abroad, they’re going to have to find a place to store those discoveries, because we will not accept having hospitals or housing projects delayed for artifacts collecting dust,” he asserted.

The tense exchange occurred when a participant who introduced himself as an academic posed questions related to the Chilean Wood Corporation (Corma). In response, Poduje replied: “What are you saying? Do you think Corma is to blame for the issues with the fires?”

The attendee countered by asking, “Who else?” to which Poduje responded, “File a complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office, stand up from here and make the report… I have dealt with activists like you who paralyze projects to protect fauna and flora.”

“You who prioritize trees over people, we will confront you and we will go to court if necessary,” threatened the future state secretary of Kast.

Government Urges Poduje to Avoid “Caricatures”

This Friday, from La Moneda, government representatives responded to Poduje’s comments, with Environment Minister Maisa Rojas stating that “basing development and the implementation of public policy associated with the country’s advancement on caricatures is unproductive.”

“There is an international as well as national consensus that the country and the world face a triple crisis manifested in climate change, biodiversity loss, which includes species extinction, and pollution. Development cannot be viewed as having to come at the cost of environmental or social factors,” she remarked after participating with President Boric in a meeting with representatives of the Council of Atacameño Peoples in the Antofagasta Region.

“Caricaturing the protection of certain species as if they contradict social objectives does not help,” Rojas emphasized, as reported by outlets like La Tercera.

Additionally, the Undersecretary of the Interior, Víctor Ramos, indicated that the task of reconciling the rights and needs of citizens with environmental protection is definitely achievable.

“Moreover, it is what safeguards us for the future to ensure we have a planet for the coming generations. Everything can coexist, because failing to safeguard climatic elements could produce even greater risks and impacts,” he highlighted.