By Frank Sicoli / The Santiago Times Staff
SANTIAGO — Chile’s former president Sebastián Piñera has accused his political opponents of waging a “dirty campaign” against him to prevent his presidential candidacy.
Piñera’s claims come in the wake of Exalmar case where a prosecutor has accused his son of having knowledge of an investment analysis made by the company Bancard with regard to the Peruvian fishing concern Exalmar, while Chile and Peru were pursuing international litigation in The Hague.
In response to the allegations, Pinera said “there is no illegal or illegitimate conduct. Those who think they can weaken my commitment or frighten me, do not know me.”
He warned that his opponents do not have to use his family to try to impede his political career because, he added, “whenever this happens I will always be in the front line of defense.”
In a statement recently, Piñera said that the Communist Party and New Majority through some of its representatives, are developing a “dirty campaign” whose objective is to try to block his political trajectory and confuse public opinion with a clear purpose: to prevent Piñera possible presidential candidacy. “Perhaps it’s because, as of today, I am leading in all public opinion polls.”
About the alleged involvement of his company Barcorp with the Dominga mining project, the former president acknowledged that the company is “tied” to his family, but said that he has never participated in the operations or administration of the company.
