The appointment of Antaris Varela as the Regional Secretary for Women and Gender Equality in the Biobío Region has come to a standstill due to the pregnancy of the current official, Camila Contreras, according to reports from latercera.com.
Although Varela has been announced to take over the role, the current official's legal status prevents the new authority from officially assuming command of the public agency.
Julio Anativia, the presidential delegate for the region, revealed that Contreras—a member of Gabriel Boric's administration—submitted medical leave and a pregnancy certificate following her initial resignation.
“The situation is that the former secretary, Camila Contreras, remains in her post because she is pregnant,” Anativia told the media. The delegate specified that the current official is currently on medical leave and that the Executive branch will respect the duration of that period.
Acting roles within the agency
Antaris Varela, a biochemist from the Catholic University of Valparaíso, will not be able to serve as the permanent head immediately, but she will join the team as a staff member. According to Anativability, Varela will participate in institutional activities in an acting capacity.
“While she won't be the secretary immediately, she will join the entity as a staff member,” the delegate noted. Varela will act as a representative of the secretary whenever legal acting appointments are required.
Meanwhile, Daniela Castro, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Women, confirmed that the institution recognizes Contreras as the official head of the regional office. Castro emphasized that the government seeks to ensure that labor rights are upheld.
“Our commitment is to protect maternity and guarantee the fulfillment of labor rights in both the public and private sectors,” the Undersecretary stated.
The situation in Biobío follows other recent administrative transitions that have faced similar legal hurdles. As reported by latercera.com, a similar situation is unfolding in the Atacama region, where the previous regional secretary is on medical leave due to cancer, which has also prevented a new appointment from taking place.
