At the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2025, Chilean President Gabriel Boric delivered a speech that reverberated far beyond the halls of diplomacy. Marked by a rare blend of moral clarity and political urgency, Boric’s address called on world leaders to confront not only the immediate crises facing humanity, but also the ethical decay he sees at their core. His words, both a condemnation and a rallying cry, challenged the Assembly to move past empty gestures and symbolic rhetoric, urging concrete action—especially regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Boric, the world’s youngest president, wasted no time in framing the stakes. According to The Eastern Herald, he described the Gaza conflict as a "crisis of humanity" rather than a mere political dispute. He drew a stark picture of the suffering in the region, stating, "Thousands of innocent human beings lose their lives simply for being Palestinian, just as 80 years ago millions lost theirs just for being Jewish." This comparison, delivered with a firm voice, placed the current tragedy on a continuum of historical horrors—an unmistakable appeal to the world’s collective conscience.
The Chilean leader’s remarks were not limited to moral exhortations. He made a pointed call for legal accountability, specifically referencing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. "I do not want to see Netanyahu destroyed by a missile with his family," Boric told the Assembly, as reported by The Eastern Herald. "I want to see Netanyahu and those responsible for the genocide against the Palestinian people facing an international court of justice." He emphasized that justice, not vengeance, must be the guiding principle, echoing ongoing International Criminal Court warrants against Israeli officials. This stance, Boric insisted, is about upholding the rule of law and preventing the endless cycle of violence that retribution so often perpetuates.
Boric’s speech came on the heels of a controversial report from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which stated that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza—a claim firmly rejected by Jerusalem. The Chilean president’s intervention thus added significant weight to calls for judicial scrutiny, especially given Chile’s deep Palestinian diaspora and its history of supporting international legal mechanisms. Boric highlighted Chile’s ongoing efforts to pressure Israel through diplomacy and sanctions, underscoring the country’s commitment to international justice.
But Boric’s address was more than a critique of a single conflict. He placed Gaza within a broader tapestry of global crises, each demanding a response rooted in ethics and truth. Drawing inspiration from Chilean poet and diplomat Gabriela Mistral, he recalled her call for the universal adoption of human rights, lamenting that "the world has not yet achieved the triumph of human rights." He asked, "Have we truly achieved this triumph? The answer is categorical. No." Boric’s invocation of Mistral was a reminder that the pursuit of justice is a perennial, unfinished project.
Throughout his speech, Boric insisted on the importance of transforming pain into a desire for justice, rather than allowing it to breed hatred. "One of the problems we face as humanity is that often pain breeds hatred," he said. "We must confront it and fight it with all our strength." For Boric, the Assembly’s gathering was not just another diplomatic ritual but an expression of enduring faith in humanity: "Our hearts cannot, we cannot allow them, to stop being moved by the pain, by the need of others like us."
The Chilean president did not shy away from naming specific violations of international norms. He condemned acts such as assassinations that violate the sovereignty of neutral countries—citing the attack in Doha, Qatar—and bombings of nuclear facilities. He also criticized the 2003 invasion of Iraq, referencing the false claims about weapons of mass destruction. These examples, Boric argued, illustrate a disturbing trend: the erosion of the "rules that are civilizational advances from lessons learned from the greatest tragedies humanity has faced."
Boric’s philosophical bent was evident as he invoked French writer Albert Camus to warn against moral relativism. "If we believe in nothing, if nothing makes sense and we cannot invoke any value, then everything is permitted, there is neither good nor evil, and nothing matters," he said. In such a world, he warned, "the life of a man, a woman, or their children will always depend on chance or on an arbitrary benevolence (or malevolence)." For Boric, indifference and passivity are forms of complicity, and those who fail to condemn violence are "in a way, as homicidal as the one who drops the bomb or pulls the trigger."
The president’s critique extended to the spread of denialism and misinformation. In a direct allusion to statements made by former US President Donald Trump at the UN, Boric said, "For example, it has been stated, from this very podium, today, that there is no such thing as global warming. That is not an opinion, it is a lie, and lies we must fight against." He drew parallels to Holocaust denial and the spread of misinformation about vaccines, insisting that while methods and responsibilities can be debated, certain truths are non-negotiable.
Boric’s commitment to dialogue was clear. "I can and must respect the diversity of opinions," he said, "but while I respect the diversity of opinion of those who think differently, I confront the insolence of those who lie, even more when that person is aware of it." For him, dialogue is the antidote to "the lies and silence that lead to the deepest loneliness."
In a move that blended symbolism with political vision, Boric announced Chile’s nomination of former President Michelle Bachelet for the position of UN Secretary-General. He praised her "deeply coherent biography with the values that inspire this organization," citing her experience as head of state, minister, executive director of UN Women, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Boric argued that Bachelet’s leadership could help the UN "regain credibility, effectiveness, and purpose in facing the challenges of our time."
Environmental stewardship also featured in Boric’s address. He cautioned against the unchecked exploitation of natural resources, warning that "the destruction of marine life on which we also depend" threatens the planet’s future. "Sustaining life on Earth is a task we must assume urgently and responsibly: for those who preceded us, for those who today share life with us in the world, and for generations to come."
As he concluded, Boric posed a question to the Assembly: "Who will map the world of the future?" He expressed hope that it would be "all the peoples of the earth together," united in defining "definitive paths so that we have a future not only possible and viable but also dignified and respectful for all people." For Boric, the renewal and reform of the United Nations are not just bureaucratic necessities but urgent moral imperatives.
With his speech, Gabriel Boric staked out a bold vision—one that demands honesty, accountability, and a renewed commitment to the values that underpin global order. In a world riven by conflict and cynicism, his words challenged leaders to act not just as politicians, but as custodians of humanity’s shared future.
