Marcos Barraza Criticizes Kast and Valenzuela’s ‘Parasite’ Remarks: A Warning of State Dismantlement

Original article: Barraza a Kast y Valenzuela tras “Parásitos”: “Es un anuncio del desmantelamiento del Estado”

The leader of the Communist Party, Marcos Barraza, expressed his disapproval of the derogatory statements made by representatives of the Republican Party, who referred to public officials as «parasites.» He labeled this rhetoric as a «warning of the dismantlement of the State» that the far-right would pursue if they were to take power at La Moneda.

The controversy began following an opinion column by Cristián Valenzuela, a strategist for the presidential campaign of Republican candidate José Antonio Kast, in which he claimed the State is «drained by parasites.»

In his controversial column titled «Parasites,» published by La Tercera on October 8, Valenzuela stated, «In Chile, the State is not sick; it is rotten. It has been turned into a bloated body, filled with parasites who live off it, draining it and sharing its remains like spoils. These are the same old ones, who have turned public spending into an industry and politics into a spoils system.»

Valenzuela further asserted, «Those who could change things don’t want to. Those who have already governed, who claim to be in opposition, have also parasitized the State.»

Kast subsequently backed Valenzuela’s comments. In an interview with La Tercera, he was asked if he agreed with his advisor’s language and viewpoint, to which he responded, «Yes. There is political spending. He summarizes very well what I have been saying since 2017, that there are abuses, this is evident.»

Barraza: «A Warning of the Dismantlement of the State»

Barraza characterized this stance as a «warning of the dismantlement of the State» and a strategy aimed at denigrating public service and fueling fascism. He stated, «When workers in the public sector are insulted and offended, it is an affront to the Carabineros de Chile, teachers who fulfill public duties, inspectors, as well as the workers who maintain parks and clean the city.»

He emphasized that this rhetoric disrespects essential activities and the individuals who perform them to maintain societal harmony.

Barraza highlighted the severity of the situation, arguing that this is not an isolated comment, but rather a manifestation of disdain towards the State, illustrating the high risks the country faces if someone fueled by far-right fanaticism were to rise to power, as he warned ahead of the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in November.

Rhetoric That Fuels Fascism and Harms Democracy

One of the most critical points in Barraza’s response was linking these remarks to a concrete plan to dismantle public institutions. In his view, the Republican rhetoric goes beyond mere insults.

«It is a warning of the dismantling of the State, arbitrary firings, all based on disqualifications founded on lies,» he added, referring to the alleged hiring of 100,000 officials, a figure that has been denied by the government of President Gabriel Boric.

For Barraza, utilizing falsehoods to construct a narrative is particularly concerning.

«What is most alarming is that based on lies, there is an attempt to distort public opinion, akin to the generation of bots creating false realities,» he said, suggesting that through this discourse, the right seeks to poison public debate with incorrect information to justify future cuts to state resources.

He also asserted, «What is done is not to defend my ideas as a candidate but to tarnish the honor of others, to undermine and discredit other candidates, in this case, Jeannette Jara, and even candidates from their own right-wing sector,» he told Radio Nuevo Mundo.

Barraza connected the Republican Party’s disqualification tactics with methods typical of authoritarian regimes, urging citizens and institutions to remain vigilant.

«We must be categorical and vigorous in condemning such statements. Fascisms feed on these types of disqualifications. We must recognize that this type of verbal conduct is harmful to democracy,» he emphasized, clarifying that, in his view, this is not merely an opinion but an attack on the foundations of the democratic system.