In a heated moment at the Congress, Subsecretary of Higher Education, Víctor Orellana, found himself in a tense situation accused of “harassment” by Deputy Mónica Arce (ind-DC). The confrontation stemmed from Orellana reprimanding Arce, a member of the DC committee, for abstaining from voting on a bill that aimed to change requirements for entering teaching programs. This incident prompted the Renovación Nacional parliamentary group to call for Orellana’s resignation and urged Women’s Minister Antonia Orellana to break her silence.
Members of the Renovación Nacional group, led by deputies Miguel Mellado and Carla Morales, formally contacted the Women’s Minister demanding a response to the situation. The clash sparked intense debates in the Chamber of Deputies and parliamentary committees, where the majority strongly condemned the subsecretary’s behavior as an assault on the Legislative branch’s independence and a form of violence against women by government officials.
Deputy Carla Morales, a member of the Women and Gender Equity Commission, criticized Minister Orellana’s passive complicity in acts of violence against women who hold differing views. The deputies highlighted that this incident is not an isolated case, referring to a previous situation involving a former Interior Ministry subsecretary, Manuel Monsalve, as evidence of the government’s failure to align actions with its feminist discourse.
Deputy Mellado, who chaired the investigative committee on the Monsalve case, emphasized the need for immediate action, calling for the removal of Subsecretary Víctor Orellana as a step towards eradicating violence against women. The deputies demanded that Minister Orellana officially request the President’s immediate dismissal of Orellana to demonstrate a firm stance against gender-based violence.
This call for accountability sheds light on the ongoing challenge of ensuring government officials adhere to principles of respect and gender equality. By demanding concrete action in response to instances of violence and harassment, policymakers aim to create a safer and more equitable political environment for all individuals.
