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El Ciudadano

Original article: Duras críticas a Steinert tras presentar plan de seguridad en la Cámara 

Steinert Faces Strong Backlash After Presenting Security Plan in Congress

Minister Trinidad Steinert presented her security plan in Congress, but her presentation sparked a wave of criticism from lawmakers and political circles. Concerns regarding her handling of the issue, strategic approach, and level of preparedness dominated the discussions.

Minister Steinert appeared before a special session of the Chamber of Deputies to address the «serious» public security situation in Chile. During this session, she outlined a plan focusing on three main areas: restoring territorial control, enhancing police effectiveness, and strengthening institutions.

While the government highlighted some initial results, the assessment of Minister Trinidad Steinert’s presentation was not shared among various deputies and political actors, who questioned her level of preparation, grasp of the subject matter, and communication skills.

During the session, Deputy Tatiana Urrutia from the Broad Front harshly criticized the minister, accusing her of making simplistic campaign promises and mismanagement, such as invoking powers she did not possess and taking credit for previous operations.

Urrutia also condemned the lack of coordination with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, contrasting the current results with statistics from the previous government, insisting that evaluation should be based on real outcomes rather than announcements or media displays.

After the session, Deputy Daniel Manouchehri stated on his social media:

“Minister Steinert came to the Chamber today to present on public safety. She read a paper for an hour. A paper she clearly was not familiar with. Hesitant, with no command of the topic.
Frankly, it was one of the most embarrassing presentations we have seen in Congress for quite some time.
And let’s be clear, we are not talking about just any portfolio. We are talking about the safety of Chile.”

Deputy Nelson Venegas was even more critical, labeling Steinert’s presentation as “pathetic” and emphasizing the severity of the situation. He claimed it not only reflected the absence of a clear plan to tackle the security crisis but also a performance that—according to him—was far below expectations for an authority whose main campaign promise was precisely crime reduction.

Lawyer Mauricio Daza also criticized the minister’s presentation, stating that reading is a basic requirement for the position:

“The least one could expect is for the Minister of Public Security to be someone who knows how to read fluently… (honestly, I don’t know how it is possible that this person has been a prosecutor in the Public Ministry…)”

Meanwhile, Deputy Ignacio Achurra noted that the current administration under José Kast deceived the entire country by promising to resolve all security issues, yet to this day has failed to present any plan. “We hope they correct their error and finally fulfill their promise: to ensure safety for Chilean families,” he concluded.

On the other hand, panelists from the program La Voz De Los Que Sobran, Jaime Coloma and Daniel Stingo also criticized the minister’s management. Coloma stated: “If the minister does not have political networks, has no eloquence, and does not have a plan, what is she doing in politics?”

Stingo questioned the minister’s abilities for the role: “Being a prosecutor and chasing criminals is very different from being a minister and proposing public policies. I wish she had that intelligence. Check the website to know what she should be doing.”

Beyond the announcements and statistics, the presentation revealed a gap between the official discourse and political expectations. The collective criticism pointed not only to the presentation style but also to the absence of a clear strategy in addressing the security crisis. In a matter where the margin for error is minimal, the debate remains open about the government’s capacity to fulfill its promises.

El Ciudadano

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