Chile’s President Boric makes historic trip to South Pole

Chilean President Gabriel Boric has become the first American leader to visit the South Pole, after arriving at a US station there.

The president said his visit to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station proved it again Chile’s claim to sovereignty the other side of the Antarctic.

“This is a very important event for us,” Boric said in an appearance on Chilean television, before adding “it is the first time that a Chilean president will come to the South Pole and talk about Chile’s work in the Antarctic”.

Boric traveled with a group of scientists and several ministers, including the defense and environment ministers, his office said.

Boric said his visit underscored Chile’s determination to do something about science in the region, especially those related to climate change.

In his statement, the government said that research centers, universities, embassies and the military have joined forces to ensure that Chile will be the international gateway to the Antarctic.

A leftist president Gabriel Boric won the presidential election in Chile in 2021 being the youngest leader in the world, he is 35 years old.

Only two other world leaders visited the South Pole before Boric: the prime ministers of New Zealand and Norway.

Several countries, including Chile, the UK, France, Norway, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina they took parts of Antarctica and many others have them there.

Antarctica is not a country: it has no government and no people. Instead, the entire continent has been set aside as a scientific reserve.

The Antarctic Treatywhich came into operation in 1961, provides a good idea for the exchange of knowledge.

Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station was named after Roald Amundsen – the Norwegian explorer who led the first expedition to the South Pole – and Robert Scott, the UK explorer whom Amundsen beat until 1911.

Scott and four of his companions died on the way back from their trip when they were caught in a storm.