The Chilean government proposed this week to seek legislative authorization to issue US$6.2 billion in public debt in 2026 to cover expenses mandated by law.
Former Finance Minister Ignacio Briones backed the initiative during an interview with Radio Duna. He stated that the request responds to a cash flow problem and a structural imbalance between spending and revenue. Briones noted that current spending levels systematically exceed income and that the cuts applied by the government only contain the problem without solving it. He emphasized that the debt is a consequence of that imbalance and commitments inherited from the previous administration. The economist reiterated the need to seek new sources of fiscal revenue and measures without fiscal cost, such as speeding up sectoral permits and regulating online betting houses, to complement the reform under discussion.
