Nation votes on revising charter

SANTIAGO, Chile — Amid a year of contagion and turmoil, Chileans voted Sunday on whether to draft a new constitution for their nation to replace guiding principles imposed four decades ago under a military dictatorship.

Despite opposition of conservative groups, recent polls indicated heavy backing for a new constitution, and early returns gave the “yes” forces a landslide lead.

The country’s conservative government agreed with the opposition to allow the plebiscite after the outbreak of vast street protests a year ago that erupted over inequality in pensions, education and health care in what has long been one of South America’s most developed nations.

If approved, a special convention would begin drafting a new constitution to be submitted to voters in mid2022.

Chile’s current constitution was drafted by the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet, and was sent to voters at a time where political parties had been banned. It was approved by a 66% 30% margin in a 1980 plebiscite, but critics say many voters were cowed into acceptance by a regime that had arrested, tortured and killed thousands of suspected leftist opponents following the overthrow of the socialist government.

The freemarket principles embodied in that document led to a booming economy that continued after the return to democracy in 1990, but not all Chileans shared.

The decision to allow the vote came after hundreds of thousands of Chileans repeatedly took to the streets in protests that often turned violent.

The manner of drafting a new constitution is also on Sunday’s ballot. Voters will choose between a body of 155 citizens who would be elected for that purpose, or a somewhat larger panel split between elected delegates and members of Congress.