Chile's culture minister resigns after criticism over museum comments

Mauricio Rojas resigned as Chile's culture minister just four days after his appointment, following controversy over his 2015 remarks about the Museum of History and Human Rights in Santiago. The Chilean press uncovered an excerpt from a book he coauthored where he questioned the museum's legitimacy, calling it a 'montage' designed to shock spectators and prevent reasoning. Rojas described the institution as a 'shameless and inaccurate use of a national tragedy' that manipulated history. The museum documents human rights abuses during Augusto Pinochet's military dictatorship from 1973 to 1990. Despite Rojas defending himself by saying the excerpt didn't reflect his current views, pressure from human rights organizations and politicians across the government forced his resignation. President Sebastián Piñera accepted the resignation and appointed archaeologist Consuelo Valdés as the replacement. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions about historical memory in Chile.