Comments on: Elections in Chile

By: Mary

Mary — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:20:08 +0000

I don't read Spanish well enough to really follow Chilean politics, but I do find the differences in political culture pretty interesting. Your question about the nicknames is a good one.

On an only semi-related tangent, yesterday, at Thanksgiving dinner, though, I did learn that my in laws are connected to two of the candidates. I knew about the connection to the Frei family–my mother in law and her sisters are longtime friends of Eduardo Frei's sister, so they have known the whole family since they were children. He's not really that old–certainly no more so than the average U.S. politician.

Then, as it turns out, the mother of the younger leftist candidate introduced my inlaws to each other more than 40 years ago when they were all working together in the same building or something. At the time, my mother in law was engaged to someone else and apparently this lady felt that my father in law would be a more suitable match!

By: Mary

Mary — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:20:08 +0000

I don't read Spanish well enough to really follow Chilean politics, but I do find the differences in political culture pretty interesting. Your question about the nicknames is a good one.

By: I_Marmo_I

I_Marmo_I — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:12:44 +0000

“La Chora Hepp”, serÃa bastante potente como apodo en estas elecciones, suena al mismo tiempo cercano y serio, aunque efectivamente parece sonar diferente a “El Choro” xD

By: Debora

Debora — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:42:46 +0000

Political campaign practices are always fun to observe. I remember being in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in the weeks leading up to a presidential election for a college course called Caribbean Politics years ago. It seemed more like carnival with music and people marching and dancing along the malecon and politicians talking over bull horns in cities and rural areas. It was quite festive! I don't know what Frei looks like or his ethnic/racial background is, but if Spanish practices in Chile are like many other Hispanic/Latin American countries, use of “negrito” is a term of endearment like “mi querido” or “qmi uerida” which roughly translates to “my love or my dear,” “sweetheart” or a loved one. It can be used to refer to someone with fair skin or dark skin. Many of my Puerto Rican, Cuban and Dominican friends use the term for a loved one. So hopefully, it is not being used as a racial label. That would be really sad.

By: Ritamae39

Ritamae39 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:18:59 +0000

Maybe the politicians think that by using a nickname on their posters people of different social statuses will think of them in a more personal / affectionate way and that they'll win some votes that way.