President José Antonio Kast held a meeting on Monday with Republican Party deputies at Cerro Castillo Presidential Palace. The gathering aims to ease tensions sparked by the clash between party leader Arturo Squella and Second Floor chief Alejandro Irarrázaval.
The meeting, scheduled for 8:00 p.m., was underway at the time of publication. Kast chose to intervene personally after days of internal divisions within the ruling coalition.
The controversy erupted last week when Squella questioned the government’s political coordination and the role of the advisory team. The senator called for someone to “take a step aside” during an expanded political committee meeting, a phrase interpreted by several attendees as a direct challenge to Irarrázaval.
Deputies such as Benjamín Moreno stressed the need for a “frank and direct conversation” with the president to improve coordination. Others, including Chiara Barchiesi, defended Irarrázaval and dismissed the criticisms as “unjustified.”
The gathering also seeks to align the caucus with legislative priorities on security and the mega-reform, at a critical juncture for the National Reconstruction Plan.
