(RepublicanDaily.org) – Sebastian Pinera, the former president of Chile, died after the helicopter he was on crashed into a lake in the southern region of the country. He was 74 years old.
Besides Pinera, three other people were in the helicopter when it crashed. The three survived the ordeal and were able to swim to shore. The former Chilean president was the only casualty and was pronounced dead on the scene right after first responders arrived. Pinera was reportedly the one piloting the aircraft, which crashed in Lago Ranco, close to where the former president had a home.
Reports also indicate that the helicopter crashed not too long after it took off. As of press time, there has also been no report on where Pinera and his passengers were originally headed.
Pinera, a successful entrepreneur who received training at Harvard, served as Chile’s president for two terms – his first was from 2010 to 2014, while his second term was from 2018 to 2022. He was credited as an essential part of Chile’s economic growth, having suffered for years under a military dictatorship. Still, his administration was not without critics – who say that his pro-business policies only benefited the country’s elites while continuing to leave others languishing in poverty. He exited both his terms with low approval ratings. Forbes magazine reported that in 2024, his net worth was around $2.4 billion, putting him in 1,176th place on the publication’s global rich list.
Chile’s current head of state, President Gabriel Boric, declared a national mourning period of three days. Boric described Pinera as “a democrat from the very beginning” and someone who worked towards “what he believed was best for the country.”
After leaving the presidency, Pinera did not completely leave politics, and was known to speak out on several issues such as the failed attempt to draft a new Chilean constitution. He was also a supporter of conservative politicians, such as Javier Milei, the president of Argentina.
Copyright 2024, RepublicanDaily.org
