Sebastián Piñera: 1949-2024

Last week, I found out the sad news that the former Chilean president Sebastián Piñera had died, as did many, through the media. He was 74 years old. Throughout his life, Piñera, a descendant of Inca Huayna Cápac, cherished a special bond with Peru. Together with Alan García (Peru), Juan Manuel Santos (Colombia), and Felipe Calderón (Mexico), he was instrumental in forming the Pacific Alliance by signing the Lima Declaration in 2011. Moreover, during his initial term as president, the Free Trade Agreement between Peru and Chile was implemented in its maximum vigour. On November 25, 2010, he was decorated with a Medal of Honor by the Congress of the Republic of Peru. On the same day, at night, at the Peruvian government palace, he was honored with the Grand Collar of the Order of the Sun, a recognition of his significant role in fostering the open and ongoing dialogue that underpins the bilateral relationship between the two nations.

It's worth noting, I think, that Piñera was an alumnus at Pontifical Catholic University of Chile where he pursued Commercial Engineering and was acknowledged as the top graduate of his class with the Raúl Yver Award. In Chile, he is most remembered for the challenging circumstances he had to deal with as president. I am referring to the post-disaster reconstruction following the 2010 earthquake and tsunami, and the rescue of 33 miners who were trapped for more than 60 days in Atacama, during his initial term. And in his second term, to the COVID-19 pandemic and the violent protests and looting during 2019. With continuous ups and downs in his popularity, I think it must have been very satisfying for him to develop (at the very end) a close and friendly bond with President Boric, who had even accused him of human rights violation.

Piñera was concerned about the tragedy faced by Valparaiso due to the fires and was keen on making all possible human capital available to the government to aid in the rebuilding efforts. As such, he reached out by phone to President Boric on Monday night to offer his full support in confronting the catastrophe of the fires. He shared this with his team early the next morning and they agreed to coordinate to crystallize their collaboration. A few hours later the tragedy would occur, when the former president boarded his helicopter to return home to have lunch with his wife and it came down in Ranco Lake. As is known, Piñera was an eager pilot for many years.

On Wednesday, the body of Sebastián Piñera was brought to the former National Congress building for mourning. The state funeral took place on Friday, February 9, to pay respects to the ex-President. His body was then moved to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago, where a funeral mass was held. After the funeral mass, the coffin was taken to La Moneda palace for the final tribute. Then, before going to the Memorial Park Cemetery for his burial, the coffin passed through the flower pergola for a traditional tribute. Goodbye to a true statesman.