Chilean justice minister resigns after pardons row

BOGOTA

Chilean Justice Minister Marcela Rios submitted her resignation Saturday to President Gabriel Boric without disclosing a reason for leaving the post, according to media reports.

Boric told reporters that because there were issues in the pardon process, the resignation was accepted.

Lawyer Luis Cordero Vega will be appointed as Rios’ replacement.

Media reports said earlier that have been disagreements between Boric and Rios for some time about the pardoning of criminals.

Rios is the second person to leave Boric’s Cabinet after the resignation of the social development minister.

Boric, 35, who won the second round of presidential elections in Chile on Dec. 20, 2021, is the youngest president in the country’s history.