On September 4, 2022, Chileans voted against a proposed new constitution, rejecting the progressive charter by a wide margin. Reuters reported that nearly 62% of voters rejected the new draft. In 2020, nearly 80% of Chileans voted to draft a new constitution. Nearly 13 million of 15 million Chileans and residents who were eligible to vote cast ballots across more than 3,000 voting centers.
Karol Cariola, the spokesperson for the approval campaign, conceded defeat, but said the mandate to draft a new text remains in force, Reuters reported. Recently elected Chilean President Gabriel Boric, whose government is largely tied to the new text,
said cabinet changes were coming and the government would work to draft another constitution.
The mining industry was primarily worried about changes to the mineral royalty structure. Only a few articles pertained to mining. Articles 127 to 132 said that Chile must lead an environmentally responsible administration. The vague language of this section could open mining projects to legal challenges. The new constitution would have held miners financially responsible for any damage caused to the environment. It would have limited access to fresh water for miners. It would have also empowered indigenous communities. Although not well defined, these rules are not much different from those of English-speaking nations.
