Chilean Government Under Investigation for Claiming ‘State is Bankrupt’ in Social Media Post

Original article: Contraloría instruye sumario en ministerio Segegob que lidera Mara Sedini por publicar en redes sociales que el Estado de Chile «estaba en quiebra» Chilean Government Under Investigation for Claiming ‘State is Bankrupt’ in Social Media Post The National Audit Office of Chile (CGR) has initiated a formal investigation into the General Secretariat of Government (Segegob) to assess the potential administrative responsibilities of officials involved in a controversial social media post stating that the State of Chile was «bankrupt». Following the backlash from the post, which was led by Minister Mara Sedini, the ministry quickly removed it. However, a number of lawmakers filed a complaint with the CGR, alleging that the publication «violated the principles of administrative integrity and political neutrality that public officials must adhere to.

» In its legal analysis, the CGR noted that while the General Secretariat of Government may utilize social media for communication and can use everyday language for better understanding, such communications must adhere to a set of established principles. The audit office specifically referenced Article 3 of Law No. 19,896, which outlines the need to inform the community about how to access public services or actions directly associated with the fulfillment of institutional functions, especially when it is necessary to disseminate or publicize such information.

Regarding the language used in the messages, the CGR stated that the service «could not substantiate the specific terms used in the relevant publication,» emphasizing that the ministry «acknowledged that the expressions employed did not meet the required standards of moderation, which could have caused confusion among the public, which is why the content was removed. » Segegob now has a deadline of 5 business days to report back to the CGR with the results of the disciplinary process, and must also «implement measures to prevent further inaccurate communications,» concluded the audit office.