SANTIAGO, Chile — Chile President Gabriel Boric said he will work to boost economic growth and better disseminate wealth while healing tensions from years of social unrest, in his first speech after being sworn in as head of state.
The new administration will help small companies and prioritize a reduction in working week hours, Boric, 36, told onlookers outside the presidential palace in downtown Santiago on Friday. The economy has to grow even as the pandemic lingers, and the benefits have to reach all segments of society, he said.
“The country has to get back on its feet, grow and distribute the fruits of its growth in a just way,” Boric said. “When there’s no wealth distribution, when wealth is concentrated in the hands of only a few, it’s very difficult to have peace. We need to redistribute the wealth that Chileans produce.”
