SANTIAGO, Jan 21 (Reuters) – Chile’s leftist President-elect Gabriel Boric unveiled his first cabinet on Friday, throwing markets and investors a bone with a moderate pick of current central bank head Mario Marcel for the Andean country’s finance ministry role.
Boric also named Izkia Siches, a prominent doctor and part of his campaign team, as future interior minister and deputy, as well as lawmaker Marcela Hernando in the key role of mining minister, where copper and lithium development will be in focus.
The balanced make-up of the incoming government suggests Boric, a 35-year-old lawmaker and former student protest leader, may look to push gradual reforms rather than abrupt changes some had fearedin the world’s top copper producing nation.
“Naming Mario Marcel as Finance Minister is a very good sign of economic stability, seen positively by markets,” said Miguel Angel Lopez, a public affairs professor at the University of Chile, adding it was a mix of coalition allies and technocrats.