Hualaihué Mayor Files Protective Action Over Budget Cuts: Local Clinics at Risk of Losing Emergency Services

Original article: Alcaldesa de Hualaihué presentó recurso de protección por recorte presupuestario de Kast: Postas locales quedarían sin servicio de urgencias The Mayor of Hualaihué, Cristina Espinoza, announced today the filing of a protective action in the Court of Appeals in Puerto Montt. This move comes in response to budget cuts implemented by Kast’s government in the health sector, which she asserts places the care of her community’s residents in a precarious position. Recall that just a few weeks ago, Mayor Espinoza strongly criticized Kast’s administration for rising fuel prices through a widely shared video on her social media, where she admitted to having voted for the leader of the Republican Party.

Now, she has taken to social media again, initially expressing that she is «deeply concerned. Since yesterday, I have been coordinating with our director of the Río Negro Hornopirén Cesfam and the clinic teams after being informed that, due to the current government’s budget cuts, there are no funds to cover the on-call shifts of our healthcare workers. » «This means that, if this situation continues, emergencies will not be addressed after 5:00 PM, except in cases of life-threatening emergencies,» the local leader added, questioning the lack of resources and the decisions being made «far from our reality.

» «As mayor, I cannot allow such a basic right as health to be violated. Therefore, today we have filed a protective action before the Court of Appeals in Puerto Montt, because our people cannot be left unprotected,» the mayor declared. «Decisions that directly affect the lives of our communities cannot continue to be made.

In Hualaihué, we have nothing to spare, especially not in healthcare,» the mayor emphasized, stating, «I will not rest easy while there is a risk that our residents will not receive timely care. Health is not a privilege; it is a right, and we will defend it,» Espinoza asserted.