The Chilean government has pledged to five environmental groups to promote a constitutional reform that would eliminate the obstacles to information held by public entities. The president's office responded favorably last week to a petition from Oceana, Ciudad Vida, Defendamos la Ciudad and Terram, by overturning a 2001 decree that allowed state-run agencies to declare some of its archives confidential.

The decree was issued as a safeguard following the enactment of a law on government probity, but today there is consensus that many agencies used the legislation indiscriminately.

As part of constitutional reforms under way, only the legislative branch will have the power to hold some information in reserve, not the administrative authorities, promised the government.

“This is an advance for Chilean society,” said Marcel Claude, vice-president of Ocean for Latin America. But the “remains of a culture of secrets” in the administration of President Ricardo Lagos must be eliminated he said.