El Ciudadano
Original article: Dos mentiras del Gobierno de Kast al descubierto: Sí hubo recursos fiscales en la OPE y también en comida privada del presidente
Kast’s Government and Fiscal Resources for OPE and Meals After Previously Denying It
The administration of President José Antonio Kast has issued a statement admitting to the use of public funds for the operational expenses of the Elect President’s Office (OPE), directly contradicting their initial claim that the funding came from «self-generated resources.»
According to Interferencia, in a publication by Joaquín Riffo, the controversy began after an inspection by the Comptroller General of the Republic aimed at auditing payments to personnel linked to the OPE from January to March 2026.
In facing these questions, the Presidency categorically stated that «there are no public expenses associated with the Office of the Elect President«, later justifying the expenditures as part of the «transition program, which has been conducted in all recent transitions«.
The same source added, in comparison with the previous administration, that in 2022 the process involved 19 officials—including former ministers Izkia Siches and Antonia Orellana—while in 2026 there were only 11.
PS Deputy Daniel Manouchehri—who questioned the funding for Kast’s international trips back in January—stated after hearing about the inspection that «time is proving us right.» The congressman remarked: «When we publicly asked how they were financing the installation process, the OPE, and the president’s trips, they said it was all funded by the president’s own resources […] the lies of the Government are being uncovered.»
Kast’s Private Meals and the Social Use of La Moneda
In a second point of contention, President Kast admitted to making a «mistake» by hosting a private lunch with about 70 former Catholic University classmates at La Moneda, during working hours, using palace waitstaff and cooks.
According to a publication by El Ciudadano, this situation raised concerns over the use of public resources and state personnel for a personal activity.
La Moneda Was Not His Farm: Kast Admits «Error» After Private Lunch with 70 Guests
Following this incident, Senator Daniella Cicardini along with Deputies Nelson Venegas and Daniel Manouchehri filed a request with the Comptroller’s Office, which has formally requested information from the Presidency regarding the funding, use of facilities, and personnel involved. «Using public resources for private celebrations is serious. […] La Moneda is not a farm«, asserted Deputy Manouchehri on that occasion, according to the article.
This Friday, during his participation in the International Seminar of the Council for Transparency, Kast made a public acknowledgment. «One can make mistakes out of ignorance. It’s clear that I made a mistake due to unawareness, and it won’t happen again, don’t worry«, the President stated, adding that «nobody should feel invited to lunch unless it is an official event,» as highlighted by Diario U. de Chile and echoed by El Ciudadano.
Impact on Public Opinion
The impact on public opinion has been significant. According to the Pulso Ciudadano survey conducted on April 19, 46.5% rated the lunch as «serious or very serious,» and presidential disapproval reached a new high of 53.3%.
Meanwhile, the Agenda Criteria survey released by Radio Cooperativa indicates that 88% of Chileans are aware of the meeting, with 59% expressing disagreement with the use of La Moneda’s facilities for social activities.
La entrada Two Misleading Claims by Kast’s Government Exposed: Taxpayer Funding for OPE and Private Meals se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.
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