Sebastián Piñera, a former president of Chile who helped strengthen the nation’s younger democracy after turning into its first conservative chief since a navy dictatorship, died in a helicopter crash in Chile on Tuesday, the federal government mentioned. He was 74.
The helicopter, carrying 4 folks, crashed into Lake Ranco within the Los Ríos area in southern Chile on Tuesday, Carolina Tohá, Chile’s inside minister, mentioned in a televised tackle. Three folks survived and swam to shore, Ms. Toha mentioned, however Mr. Piñera died and the Chilean Navy had recovered his physique. It’s unclear who was piloting the plane, however Mr. Piñera was identified to fly his personal helicopter.
Mr. Piñera was a billionaire businessman and investor who served two phrases as Chile’s president, from 2010 to 2014 and once more from 2018 to 2022.
A conservative, Mr. Piñera ushered in pro-business insurance policies that helped increase development and make the nation of 19 million, in his phrases, “a real oasis” in Latin America.
However he additionally confronted huge protests from residents who mentioned his authorities disregarded the poor — Chile is without doubt one of the world’s most economically unequal nations — and he left workplace each instances with low approval rankings.
Maybe his most vital legacy was serving to Chile’s conservative motion win energy for the primary time for the reason that finish of Chile’s brutal navy dictatorship underneath Gen. Augusto Pinochet in 1990.
After 20 years of leftist rule following the dictatorship, his first election in 2010 confirmed that Chile’s democracy was robust and wholesome, mentioned Robert Funk, a political science professor on the College of Chile.
“He did that mainly on his personal,” Mr. Funk mentioned. “He pushed the events on the best to take part and settle for the principles of the sport at a time after they weren’t so satisfied.”
Mr. Piñera made his fortune as a financial institution government and an investor in airways, tv and soccer golf equipment; he additionally efficiently launched bank cards to Chile through the dictatorship.
This can be a creating story.
John Bartlett contributed reporting from Valdivia, Chile.