Jeannette Jara Wins Chilean Primary Backed by PPD; Matthei Faces Legal Action; Trump Announces 50% Copper Tariff Impacting Codelco-SQM Deal

The Chilean presidential primary elections have sparked significant political debate and realignment among key parties and figures. Jeannette Jara, the Communist Party (PC) candidate, secured a decisive victory, surprising some political analysts and prompting both support and criticism. Jaime Quintana, senator and president of the PPD, highlighted differences among officialist candidates and expressed concerns about Jara's economic program, particularly its perceived Kirchnerist approach and reliance on internal demand strengthening, which he warned could be risky for Chile's economy. Quintana also noted Jara's autonomy from the Communist Party and her pragmatic stance, citing her flexibility during pension reform. Sergio Bitar, former PPD president, acknowledged the magnitude of Jara's win, attributing her support more to her personality than party affiliation, and committed to backing her candidacy. However, Jorge Burgos, former minister and member of the Christian Democratic Party (DC), criticized Jara's Communist roots and expressed doubts about the DC's support, although he predicted the party might eventually back her. Andrés Zaldívar, ex-DC president, reiterated the DC's historical reluctance to support Communist candidates and stated he would not vote for Jara or Evelyn Matthei, the right-wing candidate. Yasna Provoste, DC senator, emphasized the party's broad backing for Jara, with 63% favoring unity and the incorporation of DC proposals into a common program aiming for 4% growth by the end of the term. On the right, Evelyn Matthei, backed by Chile Vamos, has faced attacks from the Republican Party, leading her to announce legal action against what she described as a coordinated smear campaign. Political analysts note Matthei's ability to regain electoral attention amid these tensions. Francisco Chahuán, senator of RN, suspended the legal action temporarily but warned that continued disinformation could prompt renewed judicial measures. Meanwhile, Marco Enríquez-Ominami, a presidential precandidate, criticized the primaries as lacking breadth and continuity, distancing himself from Jara's campaign. On the economic front, Máximo Pacheco, president of Codelco's board, responded to U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of a 50% tariff on Chilean copper effective August 1, clarifying that the tariff likely targets semi-manufactured copper products rather than mining operations. Pacheco noted the long lead times for U.S. copper production projects and emphasized the need for detailed review and negotiation. The Chilean Congress's investigative commission found no illegality in the Codelco-SQM agreement, a deal aimed at increasing lithium production and state participation, despite calls for its annulment. The political landscape ahead of the presidential election appears polarized, with Jara and Kast as leading figures likely to face off in the second round, while centrist parties like the DC seek to influence policy and coalition-building amid internal divisions and strategic repositioning.