Mayor of Ancud: "I feel terribly discriminated against"

SANTIAGO.-  The Christian Democratic (DC) Mayor of Ancud, Pablo Ossio, has said he feels “terribly discriminated against” after his party informed him -10 days ago- that if he had not graduated from the last year of high school, he would not be able to run again for head of the municipality.

“I feel terribly discriminated against (…) we weren’t asked at all about our thoughts (on this law) because it could have been addressed at the Chilean Association of Municipalities”, stated Ossio.

Ossio´s statement comes after, only four days before the closure of the registration period for candidates wishing to run for mayor, he “found out” about the new law that is being instated for the municipal elections, which requires that the candidates have not only attended high school, but have also graduated.

“I found out about this paperwork approximately 10 days ago.  I found out from the party itself.  This is the situation we, the mayors that do not fulfill the requirement, have found ourselves in.  It is a product of unfamiliarity with the law itself and the fact that our members of Parliament conveniently failed to inform us”, criticized the mayor.