Pérez Yoma says communists will not be incorporated into the cabinet

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SANTIAGO.- The Vice President of the Republic, Edmundo Pérez Yoma, has closed the door to any possibility of incorporating the communist party into the cabinet of President Michelle Bachelet, ruling out a proposal made yesterday by the Minister of the Presidency, José Antonio Viera-Gallo.

"Absolutely not", Pérez Yoma stated today when asked if he would be willing to give a cabinet position to the communist party in exchange for their support in the 2009 parliamentary and presidential elections.

"I have heard the kind of political analysis that was made by Minister Viera-Gallo yesterday, it is a strictly personal opinion and has not been discussed within the administration and it is not viable", Pérez Yoma assured.

Yesterday, Viera-Gallo told "La Segunda" that it was necessary for the Concertación to assure positions for the PC in the parliamentary elections next year. Another possibility, in his opinion, "is to reach a more profound agreement with the PC that, in addition to this, would also call for some kind of representation by allowing strategic members within the administration or a future cabinet".

With regards to the matter, Pérez Yoma stressed that the party leaders are the ones who must decide whether they will reach a pact with the communists and "La Moneda has no opinion on that".