Manouchehri Holds Minister Quiroz Accountable for Fiscal Indebtedness: «You Will Have to Answer to the Country»

Original article: Manouchehri emplaza a ministro Quiroz por endeudamiento fiscal: “Usted va a tener que responderle al país”

During the recent voting session regarding the government’s bill to increase fiscal indebtedness, which has now been forwarded to the Senate, Deputy Daniel Manouchehri (PS) strongly criticized Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz, alleging that the government aims to create debt to fund the impacts of its tax reform, dubbed the «Super Rich Law» by the opposition.

In his remarks, the parliamentarian cautioned that the administration is not seeking additional debt to address social emergencies, but rather to mitigate the fiscal impact of a policy that, in his view, benefits the highest income sectors. «Minister Quiroz. I will say this to your face. You will have to answer to the country. What you are doing, minister, is leading the country to the highest public debt in history,» he stated.

Manouchehri further argued that incurring debt could be justified if it were aimed at improving the lives of families. «It might not be so dire if the reason for borrowing was for the people. Are you asking us to take on debt to build hospitals, to construct schools, to increase police presence on the streets? No. You are not asking for any of that. You are asking us to debt the country to finance the gap that will be left by your super rich law,» he asserted.

«You, minister, may claim this is to cover the previous government’s deficit. That is a misleading argument because at the same time you are requesting us to increase the country’s debt with a fiscal deficit from your reform,» he maintained.

In line with this, the legislator from the Coquimbo Region pointed out that if the Executive genuinely perceived the fiscal margin as tight, «the responsible action would be to halt the super rich law,» and accused the minister of harboring an «obsession» and «doctrinal infatuation with a recipe that has already failed in history.»

Finally, Manouchehri recalled the warnings from the Autonomous Fiscal Council regarding the fiscal impacts of the reform and questioned the cuts in social areas. «If you found efficiency savings in the healthcare system, what you should have done at that moment, minister, with that saved money, was reinvest it in health. Not take it out to fill the pockets of the wealthiest in this country,» he emphasized.

«Minister, you are being warned. You will push public debt beyond a reasonable threshold. And who will pay that cost? Families. And do you know what you will achieve, minister? You will make people’s lives more difficult. Just like you did with collusions,» he concluded.