COLUMN | Blackout, the CEN, and Securing Critical Infrastructure

Security is already shaping presidential agendas, but we must be cautious of falling into easy populism. Speaking seriously about security involves much more than organized crime. To speak seriously about security is to discuss national security; only then can Chileans live safely and the State function properly.

The power and communication outages many of us experienced at the end of February, which we learned this week were prolonged due to issues with the National Electric Coordinator (CEN), were not merely an excuse to gather the family around old board games lit by candles, but rather evidence of a highly vulnerable country due to poor management and a flawed conceptualization of risks.

Turning off power to 80% of the country is not the root problem; there are situations that occur and often exceed our control, but the lack of planning for moments like this is not accidental.

The term critical infrastructure is not arbitrary; it relates to its importance for the normal development of life for Chileans and the functioning of the State. And what could be more critical than the need for electricity and communications!

So, if it is so important, why is it not part of our security plans? The reason is that we still do not use the terms correctly and refer to security as if it were public safety, but that is only part of the picture. We should be discussing national security, the strategy that guides it, and that directs sectoral actions, where, of course, critical infrastructure has a fundamental role.

If we were discussing national security in Chile today, we could address all the vulnerabilities of the State, not just those related to more or less organized crime. We would be planning for electrical emergencies or road closures or hacks to port systems. In other words, we would be securing the State in all its dimensions, truly addressing its strengths and weaknesses.

If we were discussing national security, we could plan public policy with the necessary emphases, identifying those responsible for each area, and we would have a clear structure and management model of the State aligned with today’s challenges.

Germany, Spain, the United States, the United Kingdom, and many others understand this clearly. National security is what allows us to utilize all the tools of the State as needed. Planning from this perspective enables the President to direct efforts, understand risk scenarios and potential conflicts, anticipate vulnerabilities, and comprehensively address a fundamental issue for development: security.

The power is back, March has arrived, and so has the presidential race with candidates from both political sectors and a few more yet to be defined. Security is already shaping presidential agendas, but we must be cautious of falling into easy populism. Speaking seriously about security involves much more than organized crime. To speak seriously about security is to discuss national security; only then can Chileans live safely and the State function properly. Integrity and transparency must not be lacking, but that is a topic for another time.