People of Chile: this afternoon, for the first time, I am speaking to you as President of the Republic, president of all of us who live in this country that we love so much — a country which has suffered greatly, and which has given us so much joy.

Thank you to all of you for giving me this honor, and to those of you who are watching us in your homes throughout our country. Thank you also to my family, to our cabinet, our teams, and also, personally, to Irina.

This Chile, made of diverse peoples and nations, located on a continental ledge between imposing mountain ranges and the magical ocean, between the desert and the Antarctic ice, is enriched and transformed by the work of its people.