[Politics] Mayor of Antofagasta: "Being independent and not having political experience, I did not know how to handle the first months well"

[FNX Magokiler]

After apologies from the communal chief, municipal officials decided to end the strike and will return to work next Monday.

The officials of the Municipality of Antofagasta had begun an indefinite strike after a series of conversations were revealed through WhatsApp groups, in which Mayor Jonathan Velásquez and his close circle participate, and offensive comments are issued against various workers. However, the communal chief apologized and it was decided to call off the strike. "I want to express my apologies that were made known in media publications. I speak on behalf of myself and my team, who feel very bad and are very sad about what has happened," Velásquez said, according to La Estrella de Antofagasta, adding that "it was never my intention to offend any person who works in the municipality. I understand the discomfort of all the officials, I know that in recent years the Municipality has not had a good time. I want to rebuild trust, I want the people of the municipality to have a mayor who will support them and work hand in hand with them".

The mayor appealed to "not having political experience." "Sometimes you work with people who are not 100% trustworthy and this was demonstrated here. Being independent and not having political experience, I did not know how to handle the first few months well. From December until now I have worked with people who are 100% trustworthy.

 

 

confidence. I'm sorry for the loss of my team, but that was demanded by the union and I have to respond to it," he said. Through a statement, municipal officials reported that they would end the strike. They were mobilized for about a week and managed to get two people from the mayor's trusted team to submit their resignation: the director of Dideco, Cary Pena, and the municipal administrator, Felipe Guzmán. In addition, as reported by El Mercurio de Antofagasta, sources say that the departure of the chief of staff, Diego Yáñez, was processed, which should take effect during the next week, as well as the journalist Karen Huerta. Part of the statement states: "It should be noted that the union mobilization achieved the departure of an important part of the mayor's trusted team and the beginning of administrative proceedings against all those officials who were actively and passively involved in the media conversation of WhatsApp (...) As a union we will continue to be on alert in the face of these or future situations that may affect the dignity of officials of this municipality and their well-being at work." Likewise, gratitude is expressed for the "understanding and great support of the community towards a movement that only sought to defend the dignity of the municipal officials of the commune." According to what was revealed, they will resume work on Monday the 13th at 8:00 a.m. The fact was revealed last week with the leak of 700 pages of messages between cabinet officials, with insults and mockery of a sexist, homophobic and racist nature against councilors, municipal workers and neighborhood leaders.

 

https://www.emol.com/noticias/Nacional/2022/06/11/1063757/deponen-paro-funcionarios-antofagasta-velasquez.html