Chilean Rights Groups Call for Protests to Welcome Bolsonaro

Chilean social and political organizations called for demonstrations to reject the presence of Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, who traveled Thursday to Santiago to participate in the Forum for the Latin American Progress and Development (Prosur), a meeting convened by the right-wing Latin American governments in an attempt to replace the Union of South American Nations (Unasur).

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At a press conference held at the headquarters of the Workers' United Center (CUT), Chilean artists called for a demonstration Friday against Bolsonaro and invited people to The Right to Live in Peace Concert, which will reject Sunday the U.S. policies in the region.

"South America has never accepted any military intervention. We face a concrete threat of being subjugated by force... the concert will honor our continent's self-determination," Jorge Coulon, an Inti Illimani musician said, as reported by RadioUChile.

Karla Toro, president of the University of Chile Student Federation, supported the Chilean artists initiative, most of whom were icons in the fight against Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship.

"We advocate for freedom, democracy and self-determination. We say loud and clear NO to those countries wanting to impose themselves by force," Toro said and added that Chilean youth will support Latin American nations facing "interventionist threats."

"That the Senate and Chamber of Deputies presidents, together with the majority of parliamentarians, DO NOT go to an official lunch honoring Bolsonaro is a symptom of good democratic health, a gesture of solidarity with sexual diversities and a rejection of his phrase "Pinochet should have killed more people". The meme includes samples of Bolsonaro’s Hate Speech.”

Earlier this week, former Chilean ambassador Heraldo Muñoz declined President Sebastian Piñera’s invitation to a lunch in honor of Bolsonaro. An important list of politicians also refused to attend.

"Senate President Jaime Quintana said he will not attend the lunch due to his political values. Deputy Matthias Walker also declined. The same attitude was taken by the socialist vice-president of the Senate Alfonso de Urresti," Brazilian media Veja reported an added that "deputy Vlado Mirosevic considers Bolsonaro a 'risk to democracy' and 'bad example for Chile'."

Among the organizations calling for demonstrations is also the Movement of Homosexual Integration and Liberation (Movilh), which labeled  Bolsonaro as a xenophobic, racist and homophobic politician.

Prosur Summit will be held Friday with the participation of the presidents of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Paraguay.