Trust in Chile’s democratic institutions has been deeply eroded, says Felipe Perry, a journalist turned developer with the nonprofit Fundación Ciudadanía Inteligente.
For the past decade, the Chilean nonprofit has been dedicated to creating digital tools that strengthen democracies and promote citizen participation across Latin America. They’ve developed platforms that allow users to compare politicians’ policies, guide citizens on how to submit proposals to governments, and educate the public on the importance of activism.
While Chile is regarded as one of Latin America’s most stable democracies by democracy trackers like the Varieties of Democracy Index, its journey to rebuild itself after a military dictatorship has been marked by deep wounds and hard-fought progress. As with many journeys, Chile’s progress has been two steps forward, one step back. Years of corruption and misuse of public funds have eroded trust in Chile’s democracy, causing civic engagement to plummet.
Last year, the Economist Intelligence Unit downgraded Chile to a “Flawed Democracy,” and presidential approval now hovering around 30%, underscoring the challenges facing the nation’s democratic future.
“The trust in institutions is very damaged, very, very damaged,” explained Felipe. “People’s level of participation is low because they don’t believe their voices matter anymore.”
Needless to say, this is an important time not just for democracy in Chile but globally. Ciudadanía Inteligente is addressing this crisis by developing tools that empower citizens to hold authorities accountable and bridge the gap between communities and their governments.
One of the first tools that Ciudadanía Inteligente created was ‘Del Dicho Al Hecho’ (from said to done), built in 2011. The platform tracks every official proposal made by the government, from its introduction in Congress to the final stages of implementation. Covering policies on education, immigration, healthcare, and more, the platform offers clear metrics on how much progress has been made toward a policy implementation. Allowing citizens to see in real-time whether their leaders are fulfilling campaign promises or falling short.
The platform is also widely recognized across the country. Last year, the Del Dicho Al Hecho webpage attracted two million unique visitors from Chile (and many more from abroad), meaning nearly one in ten Chileans relied on it to deepen their political understanding. Ciudadanía Inteligente is also frequently cited in the country’s news programs.
But over time, the tech behind the platform became outdated. Each legislative period, team members had to manually update spreadsheets to keep the site current. The system was so convoluted that even Felipe, a developer, couldn’t manage updates on his own. They knew an overhaul would resolve many of these issues, but with other priorities, the update was continually delayed, trapping them in a cycle of repetitive workarounds.
That’s when the nonprofit decided it was time to act and joined Tech To The Rescue. Thanks to a pro bono partnership with the Mexico-based tech company Alio IT Solutions, the project has been revitalized.
A partnership of shared values
For Alfonso Bonillas and his team at Alio IT Solutions, collaborating with Ciudadanía Inteligente was a chance to make a meaningful impact in their own region. Alfonso shared that the project resonated deeply with him, particularly the emphasis on accountability, which he sees as crucial in Mexico, where growing divides and limited impartial information often leave people relying on word of mouth. “But how can you trust that?'” he asked.
The collaboration was also a new experience for Alio. “We’d been in business for 13 years but had never really done anything like this before,” Alfonso shared. “It was a chance to do something that matters. We’re more connected than ever, and projects like this allow us to make a real difference, not just professionally, but personally.”
Working closely with Ciudadanía Inteligente, the Alio team upgraded the project’s backend by implementing Django, creating a more streamlined, secure, and scalable platform. With the addition of a database to store CSV data, they improved data integrity and made updates easier to manage. Now, instead of manually reworking the system, team members can upload files directly to the database, allowing for smoother and more efficient updates.
“This system used to be old and difficult to manage,” Felipe added. “But with Alfonso’s help, we now have something far more advanced and manageable, giving the public access to the most current information on the government’s progress.”
Inspiration for global change
Though focused on Chile, Del Dicho Al Hecho offers a model for accountability that could extend far beyond its borders. “This project, we are going to maintain it forever because it is necessary in our country,” Felipe affirmed. “We want to replicate it as well. The technology is there, and the need for accountability is global. With the structure we had before, it was impossible to replicate, but now there’s a clear path.”
As nonprofits worldwide continue to seek solutions to societal challenges, partnerships like this one demonstrate how tech companies can apply their expertise to drive real impact. Looking ahead, the success of Del Dicho Al Hecho is a call to action for other regions and organizations. By proving the power of technology to drive accountability, Alio IT Solutions and Ciudadanía Inteligente are paving the way for similar initiatives worldwide, each step bringing us closer to a future where political transparency is the norm, not the exception.
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