Mujica: New Chilean President Supports Santiago 2023

(ATR) The Chilean Olympic Committee (COCH) is confident the country’s new President-elect Sebastian Piñera will support the preparations and delivery of the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.

In an exclusive statement to Around the Rings shortly after Piñera’s election, COCH President Miguel Angel Mujica said the new president "will confirm the commitment of the country and will continue with the investment and the plans."

The Chilean capital was confirmed as the host city of the regional multi-sport event during the Panam Sports General Assembly in Prague, Czech Republic on Nov. 4.

Mujica said, however, that the contract signed between Panam Sports President Neven Ilic of Chile and the Chilean Olympic leaders was "a commitment of the State, not of the previous government," implying that "the next elected President should continue with the project."

Chile has come across this issue in the past, having withdrawn from hosting the 1975 and 1987 Pan American Games after being granted the hosting rights. Mexico City and Indianapolis, Indiana stepped in to host the two events.

Piñera was elected Dec. 17 to his second term as President of Chile, having served previously from 2010-2014. He received the most votes by a candidate since the 1993 elections. Mujica says Piñera has experience supporting sporting events in the past.

"Even in 2010, when he took office for the first time, he made the South American Games his own, which were successfully held four years later, and now it will certainly happen again because in his previous term he already showed interest in bringing the Pan American Games to Chile," Mujica told ATR.

The new administration will take office on March 11, 2018, replacing President Michelle Bachelet who has also expressed her support for the Santiago 2023 Games. Despite taking office in March, Mujica estimates the next sports minister will be known in the next 30 days.

The first meeting of the Santiago 2023 Organizing Committee will be held shortly after the new sports minister is announced.

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Written by Miguel Hernandez

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