The lights at Chile’s former congress building in downtown Santiago almost never go off these days as delegates to the Constitutional Convention, thick dossiers under their arms, shuttle wearily between debates that can last 12 hours. During brief breaks, they confer about complex resolutions. Votes come fast and furious.
As a result, radical proposals that could fundamentally remake the society and economy and drive away investors are slipping through. One of the most controversial so far — and there are more coming — offers a veto to indigenous groups for any matter or issue that affects their rights.
Fuad Chahin, a delegate and former president of the Christian Democratic party, was shocked by it. “The article requires consent from indigenous people for almost everything,” he said. “It could halt a ton of development projects.”
