Biden calls Chile 'powerful example' on congratulatory call with Chilean president-elect

President Joe Biden called Chile’s left-wing president-elect Gabriel Boric on Thursday to congratulate him on his electoral victory, praising the South American nation’s election as a “powerful example” for the rest of the world, The Hill reported.

On Dec. 19, Boric, 35, became the youngest-ever person to be elected as Chile's president, besting free-market candidate Jose Antonio Kast in an electoral runoff.

According to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, Biden and Boric "discussed their shared commitment to social justice, democracy, human rights, and inclusive growth."

"President Biden underscored the importance of U.S.-Chile cooperation to promote a green and equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and to address the existential threat posed by climate change," Psaki said.

Following his victory, Boric vowed to “bury” the South American country's neoliberal economic model – namely Chile’s prolific private pension fund administrators (AFPs) and the constitution, which is currently being re-written by a constitutional convention. 

On Dec. 20, Boric traveled to La Moneda, Chile’s presidential palace, to meet with incumbent president Sebastian Piñera. 

Before leaving, the former student protest leader stopped to pay his respects before a bust of Salvador Allende – the Marxist president whose rule was marked by rampant inflation and a 23-day state visit by Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.

"When I stood in front of Salvador Allende's bust, I thought of those who, like him, came before us. Their dreams of a better Chile are the ones we will continue to build together with all of you,” Boric tweeted.