Chile

**Mr President,** In 2025, it will be 80 years since the day when 51 countries took the historic step of creating the United Nations. Chile has always been a proud part of this collective effort: we were one of its founding members, and today, 80 years later, we are still here, defending democracy, peace, and the full respect for human rights. The world in 1945 must have been a complex one—full of hope for the end of the war, but torn apart by the poverty, destruction, and death it had left behind. Still marked by the infamy of colonialism, the unstoppable emancipations of peoples from their oppressors were just beginning to stir. Much time has passed since then, and the world has changed radically. If a 20-year-old from that era were to wake up in 2024, they would not believe what they see. The world has changed, but some things remain the same. One such example is the UN Security Council—and the world of 2024 is not that of 1945. This morning I heard the UN Secretary-General, President Lula of Brazil, and President Biden of the United States express their agreement on reforming the Security Council to reflect the realities of our time. What—or who—is standing in the way? Is there anyone in this assembly who opposes such reform? From Chile, I propose that we set a deadline for this reform, and that by the time the UN turns 80, it does so with a Security Council that includes **Brazil** from Latin America, **India**, and **at least one African country**. Nothing prevents this except a lack of will. Human institutions depend on the will of their leaders, and those that cannot adapt to their times risk collapse. One need only recall the rapid fall of the League of Nations. There are moments when change is the best way to ensure the continuity of our shared history. This is one of those moments. The same principle applies to **financial governance**. We value the efforts made by global financial institutions to modernise. But above all, Chile supports the proposal by Africa, led by Nigeria, to address **tax evasion**, **illicit financial flows**, and **inequality in tax collection** through the creation of a **Convention on International Tax Cooperation**—a more transparent and inclusive system of global taxation that helps fund the fight against the **climate crisis**, where countries and multinational corporations alike are held accountable and contribute fairly to the nations from which they derive their wealth. We also support the **anti-poverty and anti-hunger initiative led by President Lula**. Hunger and poverty are not natural. They are not inherent to humanity. We—planetary leaders and civil society—are responsible for eradicating them. To lead this reformist process, I am convinced it must be a **woman**, as established by the Convention of the Future, and she should come from **Latin America**, in keeping with the principle of geographical rotation. She would follow in the reformist footsteps of António Guterres. --- **Mr President, leaders of the world,** The international community is sometimes accused of applying **double standards** when it comes to human rights violations. We condemn what the adversary does, but when a so-called ally violates the UN Charter, we look the other way or remain ambiguous. From Chile, we reject double standards in human rights. As a **young, Latin American, left-wing president**, I say clearly and firmly: **human rights must be respected at all times and in all places**, and we must demand this respect regardless of the political colour of the government that violates them. Because the **Palestinian teenager murdered in Gaza**, the **Venezuelan worker forced to flee their homeland**, the **Ukrainian child abducted by Russia**, the **opposition member silenced in Nicaragua**, and the **woman expelled from school in Afghanistan simply for being a woman**, are—above all—**human beings**. And the voice of every nation, regardless of its political stance, must rise to defend them. That is the principled position we uphold in Chile, beyond any geopolitical interest. That is why I **refuse to choose between the terrorism of Hamas and the genocide being carried out by Netanyahu’s Israel**. **We should not be forced to choose between barbarities.** **I choose humanity.** We denounce the **illegal occupation of Palestinian territories** and the de facto denial of an independent Palestinian state. From Chile, we call for an **immediate ceasefire in Gaza**, an end to the **suffering and slaughter of the Palestinian people**, and the **immediate release of the hostages held by Hamas**. **Israel must respect international law**, cease the construction and expansion of illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, end its occupation of Gaza, and stop its **indiscriminate attacks on civilians**. As has long been Chilean state policy, we again insist on the urgent need for a **sustainable two-state solution**, with internationally recognised and secure borders based on the **1967 lines**. The **Russian war of aggression against Ukraine** must stop. The United Nations is the forum that must put an end to this blatant violation of international law. We cannot allow the idea to become normalised that a country can invade another and keep part of its territory. For medium-sized countries like Chile, demanding respect for international law is our best safeguard for **protecting our territorial sovereignty**. I emphasise in particular the situation of **Ukrainian children abducted by Russia** and taken to its territory. They must be returned to their families. Before this Assembly, Chile reaffirms its commitment to **democracy** as the only system capable of maintaining peace, achieving sustainable development, and protecting the dignity, rights, and fundamental freedoms of people. That is why we view with concern the **growing disaffection of citizens with democracy**, and the rise of **authoritarian leaders** who persecute or insult those who disagree with them. We must raise our voices and stand against those who erode democracy—whether through authoritarianism or shameless disinformation. At the same time, we must respond to the frustrations, hopes, and needs of our people, so they can once again trust in democratic institutions and mechanisms. We observe these threats with particular concern in our own region. **Chile will continue building bridges between diverse societies**, seeking the integration of Latin American voices to promote peace and stability. This does not preclude us from firmly condemning **any violations of human rights**, **international law**, or **attacks on democracy** in neighbouring countries. Chile is especially alert to the **critical situation in Venezuela**. We are facing a dictatorship that seeks to steal an election, persecutes its opponents, and is indifferent to the forced exile of not thousands but **millions** of its own citizens. A political solution is urgently needed—one that acknowledges the opposition’s electoral victory and initiates a **peaceful transition to genuine democracy**. At the same time, I must say clearly: the **unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States** are not helping to solve the crisis; on the contrary, they are **worsening it**. **Sanctions hurt the Venezuelan people the most**—the poor, the working class. The political crisis, combined with the economic crisis, has forced over **seven million Venezuelans** into exile—**800,000 of them in Chile**. Let me be clear: **Chile is not in a position to receive more Venezuelan migrants**. To the U.S. authorities, I call on you to **lift economic sanctions** that, as we know in the Global South, only create more poverty among peoples—not among dictators. --- **None of us—** not even the most powerful—can tackle phenomena like **climate change**, **pandemics**, **the digital revolution**, or **transnational organised crime** on our own. We need one another. We also need a **stronger, more active United Nations** and international community. This is the vision we have advanced through our participation in UN bodies. I want to highlight in particular Chile’s recent presidency of the **UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)**, where we promoted the integration of gender perspectives, the care crisis, human rights, territorial approaches in debate, and civil society participation in decision-making. I speak on behalf of all Chileans in expressing our concern over the **rise of transnational organised crime** and its devastating effects on security, development, democracy, and people’s lives. Our governments must act together, coordinating public policy, strategy, and operational capacity to combat **financial crimes, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and arms smuggling**. This is why, during Chile’s rotating presidency of the **Brasilia Consensus**, we hosted its first-ever meeting of ministers and senior public security and organised crime officials. **Security is now the primary concern of most people in Chile and Latin America**, and states must not surrender or normalise violence and organised crime. We must be **firm against criminality**, and **tireless in building community and social cohesion**. Chile is also committed to developing **policies, ethical frameworks, and regulations** to steer the development of **artificial intelligence (AI)** in an ethical, transparent, and responsible manner—one that respects **human rights**, protects **personal data**, and promotes the **integrity of information** in the digital era. Today, AI applications are **reproducing prejudices and stereotypes**, due to biases embedded in the datasets on which they are trained. Can we trust corporations to regulate themselves? **History tells us otherwise.** The international community must protect those **excluded from this new world in the making**. If we fail to act now—by requiring **algorithm traceability**, **data audits**, and **corrective human interventions**—we could soon witness a new kind of extermination: the **digital erasure of non-hegemonic cultures**, and with it, the **loss of humanity’s precious diversity**. Let us not allow that to happen. AI and new technologies can be an enormous asset to the world. Let us recall **Asimov’s Zeroth Law of Robotics**, written in literature as early as the mid-20th century: *“A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.”* --- And I must issue a final call regarding **the most important challenge of our generation: the climate emergency**. **Protecting and sustaining life on Earth is a task we must assume NOW.** I say this from **Chile**, a country increasingly affected by **droughts, floods, and wildfires**. But borders are meaningless here—we grieve equally the **Idai cyclone in Malawi and Mozambique**, the **massive fires in Australia**, **floods in Bangladesh**, the **dry corridor in Central America**, the **rising seas threatening the Maldives**, and the **wildfires currently burning in Córdoba, Argentina**. Let us not deny science. Let us not deny our collective responsibility for this crisis. From Chile, we are doing our part: **transitioning our energy matrix away from fossil fuels**, **moving toward carbon neutrality**, **protecting our seas and wilderness**, **safeguarding Antarctica**, and **ratifying the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ)**. I invite all countries to do the same. But **individual efforts are not enough**. We need everyone—especially **the major powers** and those who **benefited from decades of indiscriminate natural resource exploitation**—to take responsibility and support those now left behind. Let us not forget that **many of today’s developed countries owe their wealth to centuries of plundering other peoples**. There are many challenges ahead, but **no destiny is written in stone**. It is up to us to build a fairer and more dignified world for all. A few weeks ago, **Elvira Hernández** became the second Chilean poet, after **Gabriela Mistral**, to win the National Literature Prize. Let me paraphrase one of her poems as a warning: *“We are birds of passage, but we have grown accustomed to behaving like monuments.”* Let us not turn multilateralism or the United Nations into monuments. Let us make this historic achievement a **powerful, renewed force** to improve the lives of all humankind. **Thank you very much.**