Death and state funeral of Sebastián Piñera

Death and state funeral of Sebastián Piñera
Clockwise from top, top to bottom, left to right :
  1. President Boric, former Presidents Ruiz-Tagle and Bachelet, and Senate President Coloma stands beside Piñera's coffin during the lying in state in La Moneda Palace
  2. Members of La Moneda Palace Guard carrying Piñera's coffin out of the building after lying in state to proceed to Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral
  3. Funeral mass for Piñera in Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral
  4. The scene at La Moneda, where Piñera was taken to the cathedral for the mass after service at the palace
  5. President Boric gives his last respect to Piñera before headed to the cathedral for the mass
Date
  • 6 February 2024 (2024-02-06) (date of death)
  • 9 February 2024 (2024-02-09) (date of state funeral)
Location
TypeDeath and state funeral
CauseHelicopter crash
Organised byGovernment of Chile (state funeral)

Sebastián Piñera, former President of Chile, died on 6 February 2024 in a helicopter accident while on vacation in the commune of Lago Ranco, located in the southern Chilean region of Los Ríos. The helicopter crashed about 40 metres (130 ft) from the southern shore of Lake Ranco at Ilihue, east of Lago Ranco. He was 74 years old.[1]

Later that evening, President Gabriel Boric, in an address from La Moneda, announced three days of national mourning and declared that Piñera would receive a state funeral.[2][3][4][5]

Former Chilean President Sebastián Piñera (1949–2024; pictured in 2018)

Accident

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Lake Ranco helicopter crash
A Robinson R44 Raven II, similar to the aircraft involved in the accident
Accident
Date6 February 2024 (2024-02-06)
SummaryCrashed into lake shortly after takeoff, under investigation
SiteLago Ranco, Chile
Aircraft
Aircraft typeRobinson R44 Raven II
RegistrationCC-PHP
Occupants4
Passengers3
Crew1 (Sebastián Piñera)
Fatalities1 (Piñera)
Injuries3
Survivors3
Map of the Lake Ranco helicopter crash in which Sebastián Piñera died

Sebastián Piñera owned a residence in the Coique Bay area of the Futrono commune. On 6 February 2024, he attended a lunch with his sister Magdalena, businessman Ignacio Guerrero, and Ignacio's son Bautista[6][7] at the home of businessman José Cox in the Ilihue sector of the Lago Ranco commune. Piñera piloted his Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter, with registration CC-PHP, across the lake from his residence.[8] After lunch, as the return flight began, the helicopter lost control just a few meters from the shore, making contact with the surface of the water and capsizing into Lake Ranco in the Ilihue sector near the take-off site.[9][10][11] The Carabineros de Chile received a report of the crash at 14:57 (UTC−03:00), with initial reports indicating one fatality and three survivors.[11][12]

Close associates of the former president noted that the vehicle's visibility might have been compromised due to fogged windows. Less than 40 minutes passed between the alert call and Piñera's body being handed over to Carabineros.[13] Former minister Karla Rubilar told the press that, according to his sister Magdalena, who was aboard the helicopter, his final words were: "You jump first, because if I jump with you, the helicopter will fall on all of us."[14]

Piñera's body was recovered by the Chilean Navy from a depth of 28 m (92 ft).[1][15] His death was confirmed around 17:00 through a statement from his press office and a statement from Minister of the Interior and Public Security, Carolina Tohá.[16] The General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics confirmed that the other three occupants of the aircraft survived.[17] At the time of the crash, there was a strong storm in the area.[18] According to La Nación, Piñera survived the crash itself, but the impact left him unconscious and unable to remove his safety belt, resulting in his drowning.[19][20] His three companions managed to swim to shore.[21]

State funeral

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Arrival of Sebastián Piñera's coffin to Santiago and start of the state funeral
Institutional tribute to Sebastián Piñera at the Former National Congress of Chile building

After Piñera's death was confirmed, President Gabriel Boric announced a three-day national mourning period in a televised address shortly after 18:00. He also disclosed plans for a state funeral, with Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren designated to lead the organizing committee.[22]

Funeral mass of Sebastián Piñera at the Metropolitan Cathedral
President Gabriel Boric and La Moneda Palace Guard pay tribute to former President Sebastián Piñera

The funeral proceedings began when a Chilean Air Force (FACh) plane carrying Piñera's remains, following an autopsy in Valdivia, landed at Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Santiago. President Gabriel Boric, accompanied by some ministers, received the remains and the family at the FACh Group 10 ramp. Subsequently, the Air Force rendered honors, and the procession proceeded to the former National Congress building, where Piñera's remains lay in state until the morning of 9 February. Afterward, the remains were transferred to the Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral for a funeral mass. Following the mass, the remains were taken to the Parque del Recuerdo Cemetery for a private burial at the Piñera family crypt, with a homage paid at La Moneda Palace by the palace guard and President Boric along the way.[23][24][25][26]

Confirmed attendees

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Confirmed Chilean attendees at the funeral included President Boric and his predecessors Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle (served 1994–2000) and Michelle Bachelet (served 2006–2010 and 2014–2018).[27][28] The president of the Supreme Court, Ricardo Blanco Herrera [es], president of the Senate, Juan Antonio Coloma Correa, and some of the miners rescued from the 2010 Copiapó mining accident were also present.[27][29]

Foreign dignitaries included former president of Paraguay Mario Abdo Benítez and former president of Ecuador Guillermo Lasso,[30] under-secretary of foreign affairs of Uruguay Nicolás Albertoni [es],[31] Sergio Díaz-Granados Guida, president of the CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean,[30] Secretary General for Communication of the Presidency of Ecuador, Roberto Izurieta Canova,[27] Argentinian vice-minister of foreign affairs Leopoldo Francisco Sahores,[28] and Peruvian foreign affairs secretary Elmer Schialer Salcedo.[27]

Reactions

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Domestic

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President Gabriel Boric praised Piñera as a "democrat from the very beginning."[32] Boric's praise of Piñera was criticized by some of his political allies in the Communist Party of Chile.[33] Boric also said that Piñera's death moved and mourned the country in already difficult circumstances due to the 2024 Chile wildfires. Furthermore, he declared that "with deep regret I want to express my condolences that I personally conveyed to his daughters, his family, all those close to him and those who were part of his two governments". Former president Michelle Bachelet expressed deep regret over Piñera's death and said she valued his "commitment to our country and democracy, as well as his tireless work and service to the nation".[citation needed] Minister of the Interior Carolina Tohá expressed shock at Piñera's death and conveyed her solidarity to his family and friends; she also described Piñera as "a democratic president".[citation needed]

Daniel Jadue, the mayor of Recoleta, expressed regret at Piñera's death despite their "deep differences",[citation needed] and sent condolences to his family, friends and party. Piñera's former labor minister Evelyn Matthei described him as "a great friend, a great leader. Passionate about Chile, passionate about life," and gave "the most sincere condolences to Cecilia and her entire family."[citation needed] Piñera's former education and social development minister Joaquín Lavín offered his prayers to Piñera's family.[citation needed]

Former conservative presidential candidate José Antonio Kast declared that Piñera "was a great public servant and gave the best years of his life to serving Chile".[citation needed]

Television host Mario Kreutzberger described Piñera as "always very friendly and willing to collaborate with us. His life and career were undoubtedly marked by his vocation for public service, which led him to the presidency of Chile twice."[citation needed] Television personality Martín Cárcamo also offered his condolences, stating "I interviewed him many times and, more than once, we were able to talk off camera. Always willing and open to a conversation, whether it was about big country topics or simple and beautiful conversations about life itself."[citation needed]

The Colo-Colo association football club, which was previously partially owned by Piñera, expressed condolences over his death.[citation needed] Pablo Milad, the president of the National Professional Football Association (ANFP) expressed his condolences, noting that Piñera would be remembered as "a person who was always interested in the development and modernization of Chilean football, in improving and renewing the infrastructure of our stadiums and promote a culture of sports practice and healthy living among Chileans."[citation needed] In addition, he confirmed that Piñera will be honored along with the victims of the forest fires in central Chile with a minute of silence prior to the 2024 Supercopa de Chile.[citation needed]

Following news of Piñera's death, Televisión Nacional de Chile modified its logo by adding the color black as an expression of mourning.[citation needed]

Jimmy Sánchez, one of the 33 miners rescued during the 2010 Copiapó mining accident, said that it was a pleasure to meet Piñera, and said that he was grateful that "he gave us our lives back."[24]

International

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Detalles del accidente: Cómo era el helicóptero que piloteaba el ex Presidente y el punto exacto en el que capotó". Emol (in Spanish). 7 February 2024. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Gabriel Boric lamentó la muerte de Sebastián Piñera: "Fue un demócrata desde la primera hora"". Infobae. 6 February 2024. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Muere el expresidente de Chile Sebastián Piñera en un accidente de helicóptero". BBC Mundo. 6 February 2024. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Se declara duelo nacional por fallecimiento de ex Presidente de la República, Sebastián Piñera". Gob.cl (in Spanish). 6 February 2024. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  5. ^ María Luisa Cisternas (7 February 2024). "Velorio en el ex Congreso y una misa en la Catedral Metropolitana: Canciller detalla funeral de Estado para Piñera". Emol (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  6. ^ de la Fuente, Antonieta (7 February 2024). "La relación Piñera-Guerrero-Cox, una amistad unida por los negocios y, a veces, por la política". El País Chile (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  7. ^ 24horas. "¿Quiénes eran los otros ocupantes del helicóptero donde falleció el expresidente Sebastián Piñera?". www.24horas.cl (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Vallejos, Leonardo (6 February 2024). "Helicóptero capotó a los pocos minutos de despegar: Detalles del accidente en que murió Piñera". Emol. Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
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  13. ^ "Sin cinturón, a un lado del helicóptero y a 28 metros de profundidad: habló el buzo que rescató el cuerpo de Sebastián Piñera" (in Spanish). Infobae. 6 February 2024. Archived from the original on 8 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
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  16. ^ T13 (6 February 2024). "Muere expresidente Sebastián Piñera en accidente aéreo en Lago Ranco". www.facebook.com/teletrece (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ 24horas. "DGAC revela el detalle del accidente de helicóptero del expresidente Sebastián Piñera". www.24horas.cl (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ "Expresidente Sebastián Piñera fallece en accidente de helicóptero en Lago Ranco". La Tercera. 6 February 2024. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Murió el expresidente chileno Sebastián Piñera en un accidente de helicóptero". La Nación. 6 February 2024. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
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  21. ^ Bartlett, John (6 February 2024). "Former Chilean president Sebastián Piñera dies in helicopter crash". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  22. ^ Solís, Francisco (6 February 2024). ""Fue un demócrata": Boric decreta tres días de duelo nacional por fallecimiento de expresidente Piñera". BioBioChile (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  23. ^ Cisternas, María Luisa (7 February 2024). "Velorio en el ex Congreso y una misa en la Catedral Metropolitana: Canciller detalla funeral de Estado para Piñera". Emol. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  24. ^ a b Luna, Patricia (8 February 2024). "Chilean ex-President Piñera drowned after a crash in a helicopter he was piloting, prosecutors say". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
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  27. ^ a b c d Calvo, Gastón (9 February 2024). "Chile despide a Sebastián Piñera con un funeral de Estado: figuras de todas las corrientes políticas resaltaron su legado". Infobae. Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  28. ^ a b González, Alberto; Carrillo, Constanza (8 February 2024). "Canciller Van Klaveren confirma presencia de expresidentes en funerales de Sebastián Piñera". Radio Bío-Bío. Archived from the original on 8 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  29. ^ “Ser presidente me ha permitido comprender mejor a Sebastián Piñera”, dijo Boric en la despedida final al exmandatario Archived 9 February 2024 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)
  30. ^ a b Ramírez, Francisco (7 February 2024). "Ex Presidentes de Paraguay y Ecuador ya confirmaron su presencia en funerales del viernes de Sebastián Piñera". emol.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  31. ^ Calvo, Gastón (9 February 2024). "Chile despide a Sebastián Piñera con un funeral de Estado: figuras de todas las corrientes políticas resaltaron su legado". Infobae. Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
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  33. ^ El Gobierno de Boric intenta contener las críticas del Partido Comunista por su discurso en la despedida de Piñera El País
  34. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Líderes políticos despidieron al ex presidente de Chile Sebastián Piñera". infobae (in Spanish). 6 February 2024. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
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  37. ^ @Lenin (6 February 2024). "Ante el doloroso y prematuro fallecimiento del querido amigo Sebastián Piñera, expreso mis más sinceras condolencias a su familia y amigos. Quienes lo apoyaron en su gestión y comparten sus ideas sabrán mantener su nombre en los anales de la democracia chilena". Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
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  39. ^ @MinexGT (6 February 2024). "El @GuatemalaGob, a través del @MinexGt, lamenta el trágico fallecimiento del expresidente de la República de Chile, Sebastián Piñera, y presenta sus más sentidas muestras de condolencias a su familia, solidarizándose con el Gobierno y el Pueblo chileno". Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
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  45. ^ "الملك يعزي الرئيس الشيلي إثر وفاة رئيس الجمهورية السابق سيباستيان بينيرا". lesiteinfo.com (in Arabic). 9 February 2024. Archived from the original on 10 February 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  46. ^ @FMofOman (9 February 2024). "حضرة صاحب الجلالة السلطان المعظم -أبقاه الله- يبعث برقية تعزية ومواساة إلى فخامة الرئيس غابريال بوريك رئيس جمهورية #تشيلي في وفاة الرئيس السابق سيباستيان بينييرا". Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  47. ^ @MartinTorrijos. "Recibo desde Chile la noticia del inesperado fallecimiento del expresidente Sebastián Piñera. Cultivamos una amistad que caracterizó la franqueza y el respeto. Incansable y siempre dispuesto a construir, con ideas creativas. Su patria está de luto. A su familia le expresó mis condolencias y mi compañía en estos momentos por su irreparable pérdida". Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  48. ^ @JC_Varela. "Increíble un medio estatal de un gobierno que ha provocado la salida de más de seis millones de sus ciudadanos de su país , ataque la memoria de un gran ser humano como lo fue el Presidente Sebastián Piñera , en medio de el luto de su familia , de su país y de toda América Latina".
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  50. ^ @MerinoDeLama. "Lamento el sensible fallecimiento del expresidente de Chile, Sebastián Piñera. Siempre se caracterizó por su espíritu democrático y el respeto a las instituciones. Su dedicación para buscar el desarrollo de su país será el legado que dejará al pueblo chileno. Descansa en paz". Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
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