Minister of Economy, Development, Tourism and Mining Daniel Mas visited the Biobío Region on April 1 as part of his ongoing efforts to promote investment recovery and provide support to entrepreneurs affected by recent forest fires. This visit marks his fifth regional trip in less than three weeks, focusing on identifying urgent needs to unlock investment projects, boost the local economy, and create new jobs.
The visit included meetings with business sector representatives, local entrepreneurs, and regional trade groups. Discussions centered on key challenges and opportunities for economic development in Biobío. Mas began his agenda with a presentation to business leaders in Concepción where he addressed concerns about high unemployment rates in the region and stressed the importance of facilitating investment for economic recovery.
Mas also toured Lirquén, an area impacted by forest fires earlier this year. There he met with Penco mayor Rodrigo Vera and participated in delivering assistance to business owners from affected areas. “Haber estado con los emprendedores nos motiva a seguir trabajando y esforzándonos, tal y como lo hacen ellos, que hoy recibieron sus máquinas y equipos para comenzar un nuevo el ciclo de trabajo,” said Mas.
He highlighted government efforts across regions and the impact of these initiatives: “Con el convencimiento de que el motor del crecimiento está en las regiones; el Presidente Kast nos ha instruido desplegarnos en ellas. Por lo mismo, hoy estamos en Concepción muy contentos con poder entregar los apoyos de Sercotec; con ellas, llevamos más de 100 entregas concretas. Tan importante como recuperar el espíritu es recuperar la capacidad productiva de la zona, y estamos completamente comprometidos con ello.” He reiterated that supporting entrepreneurs motivates continued work toward recovery.
During the day’s events President José Antonio Kast announced additional measures under the Chile Sale Adelante Plan to counteract rising international fuel prices. These include a subsidy for liquefied gas purchases and monthly payments of $100,000 per vessel (up to six months) for boats up to 12 meters long—benefiting approximately 9,000 vessels registered in artisanal fishing.
The visit concluded with a meeting between Minister Mas and the board of CPC Biobío focused on analyzing regional economic conditions and discussing strategies for attracting new industrial projects while addressing uncertainties that could affect growth or employment.
