Chile's May 21 Holiday Being Reconsidered

Source: Ercilla (Chile) and La Razón (Bolivia). The Chilean chancellery is investigating the possibility of removing May 21 (Navy Day), from the list of Chile's public holidays, to avoid re-opening old wounds with neighboring Bolivia.

Analysis: This rethinking of the historical significance of Chilean public holidays, is part of the recent Foxley Doctrine (named after the current foreign minister) which aims to avoid all things that may irritate friendly neighboring countries. Recently that same doctrine led to the cancellation of the TV documentary Epopeya, about the pacific war or 1879-1884, on the grounds that it would irritate Peru. This doctrine, if pushed to its logical conclusion, could also lead to the re-thinking of the September 19 (Army Day) public holiday.