Quitting, Loudly
CHILE
Irina Karamanos recently resigned from her position as First Lady of Chile. She is still Chilean President Gabriel Boric’s partner. The 33-year-old Santiago-based anthropologist, feminist and political organizer simply didn’t want a public position based on that personal relationship.
Writing in the Washington Post, columnist Kate Cohen supported the decision. Karamanos initially accepted the role reluctantly, saying she could use it or reform it for the better. “But there’s no way to reform the role of first lady,” Cohen wrote. “It’s either sexist or antidemocratic or both.”
The former first lady’s move exemplifies how Boric, a leftist, is presiding over the country known as one of the most conservative and pro-free market in South America.
As the Australia-based Lowy Institute explained, the 36-year-old Boric became the youngest leader in Latin America when he assumed office in March. His victory was part of a wave of left-wing victories in the region, known as the ‘Pink Tide,’ where many voters now reject the conservative, pro-business views of past generations. Socialist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s victory in the recent Brazilian presidential election over right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro was the latest example of the trend.
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