- Title: Chileans living in Argentina ready to vote abroad thanks to new law
- Date: 17th November 2016
- Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (NOVEMBER 17, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** GENERAL VIEW OF BUENOS AIRES' OBELISK VARIOUS OF CHILEAN CONSULATE EXTERIOR IN CAPITAL VARIOUS OF JOSE ANTONIO VIERA GALLO, AMBASSADOR OF CHILE IN ARGENTINA, CHANGING ELECTORAL ADDRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JOSE ANTONIO VIERA GALLO, AMBASSADOR OF CHILE IN ARGENTINA, SAYING: "Chileans are also those who live outside, with rights even to influence the destiny of their country. This is considered for even the grandson of a Chilean who was born in the country." CHILEANS ARRIVING TO THE CONSULATE TO MAKE ELECTORAL ADDRESS CHANGE VARIOUS OF CHILEAN ACTOR, WHO LIVES IN ARGENTINA, PATRICIO CONTRERAS, ARRIVING TO CHANGE ELECTORAL ADDRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CHILEAN ACTOR, PATRICIO CONTRERAS, SAYING: "To actually help Chileans living abroad to vote seems to us an absolutely just and very expected demand. We very much wanted this because it made us feel excluded, disdained by our Republic, those living abroad, to be unable to participate in such an important decision such as the election of a president." CONTRERAS TALKING TO CHILEAN DIPLOMATIC AUTHORITIES MORE OF MAN DOING TALKING TO AUTHORITIES, SIGNING PAPERWORK ELECTORAL ADDRESS DOCUMENT CHANGE
- Embargoed: 2nd December 2016 19:25
- Keywords: Argentina Chile vote elections law
- Location: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- City: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA00158U4C3N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Chile's Ambassador in Argentina Jose Antonio Viera Gallo, updated his electoral address in order to be able to cast his ballot from abroad ahead of next year's presidential election in his country.
Viera Gallo, invited all Chileans residing in the country, to do the same.
"Chileans are also those who live outside, with rights even to influence the destiny of their country. This is considered for even the grandson of a Chilean who was born in the country," Viera Gallo said as he filled out the necessary paperwork at the Consulate General of Chile in Buenos Aires.
On August 4 of this year, Congress lawmakers passed a new law, voting 110 in favour, to allow Chileans to cast their ballots from abroad. The project was signed into law by Chile's President Michelle Bachelet.
Authorities said that with this bill, Chile will strengthen its democracy and will join another 116 countries that also their residents to cast their ballots from abroad, Chile's consulate in Argentina said in a news release.
Chilean actor, Patricio Contreras, said he was happy the bill was approved.
"To actually help Chileans living abroad to vote seems to us an absolutely just and very expected demand. We very much wanted this because it made us feel excluded, disdained by our Republic, those living abroad, to be unable to participate in such an important decision such as the election of a president," Contreras said.
About 900,000 Chileans live abroad, according to figures from the Chilean Abroad Directorate. Of these, approximately 450 thousand are in a position to vote, according to Chile's electoral authorities.
Some 92 percent of Chileans living abroad are scattered around 15 counties around the world with 40 percent of them living in Argentina.
According to the Argentine census of 2010, there are 191,147 Chileans living in the country, with more than 33,000, living capital Buenos Aires alone.
This relationship between Chile and Argentina is reciprocal. The Argentinean community in Chile, is the second largest group of foreigners in the country, only behind Peruvians. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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