The future is looking bright for Chile. Almost 50 years after the democratically elected Salvador Allende was deposed in a CIA-backed coup and replaced by brutal dictator Augusto Pinochet, the country has a new socialist leader in Gabriel Boric.
The 35-year-old former student organizer demolished his far-right opponent José Antonio Kast in Sunday’s election, making him the South American country’s youngest-ever president. Boric has vowed to fight “the privileges of the few,” tackle poverty, and radically overhaul Chilean society to benefit the workers. The cherry on top? He’s also a massive Taylor Swift fan.
Boric proved his Swiftie credentials in a video taken while he was a Congressman. A group of supporters ask if he’s a fan, only for him to delight them by revealing he actually has a photo of her in his pocket. Check it out:
This apparently isn’t a one-off instance. Boric has been repeatedly pictured with images of Swift, having explained that he got into her music during the pandemic and that his favorite album is Folklore:
Could we someday see Swift as the U.S. Ambassador to Chile? Though I imagine she’s quite busy, I wouldn’t be surprised to see further connections develop between Boric and Swift. The new President will be inaugurated on March 11, and I expect to hear some Taylor Swift music integrated into the celebration as he officially takes office.
Like any socialist leader promising transformative policies, Boric faces a difficult battle against entrenched capitalism, but he can be reassured that the Swift Army has his back online. Any enemies should beware as Taylor Swift has one of the most loyal fan communities on the planet and an attack on one is an attack on all.
